New updates have surfaced about the health of former television personality Wendy Williams. Recently, Williams’ legal guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, revealed the star is now “permanently incapacitated’ in new court filings, per The Independent.
“[Wendy Williams is] an acclaimed entertainer who, tragically, has been afflicted by early-onset dementia and, as a result, has become cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated” the filing read.
Earlier this year, Lifetime released “Where is Wendy Williams?”, a documentary that gave fans a never-before-seen glimpse into the former talk show host’s life since stepping out of the limelight. In addition to reporting her whereabouts, the two-part documentary delved into Williams’ health status. Shortly before the documentary’s premiere, Williams’ team revealed the star was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia after “undergoing several medical tests” in 2023.
Concerns for Williams’ health began to swirl in 2021 when she took a break from hosting her eponymous talk show to tend to her battle with Graves’ disease. The show, which ran for 13 seasons over the course of 14 years, was eventually canceled in 2022 after a series of guest hosts filled Williams’ iconic purple chair during its final season, as the star never returned to the show.
The controversial documentary highlighted the conflicts surrounding Williams’ guardianship and those leading her care. As previously reported by theGrio, Morrissey filed a lawsuit alleging that Lifetime and its parent company, A&E, “shamelessly” exploited Williams in the “Where is Wendy Williams?” documentary.
“This blatant exploitation of a vulnerable woman with a serious medical condition who is beloved by millions within and outside of the African American community is disgusting, and it cannot be allowed,” the document read, noting that Williams was “not capable” of consenting to her contract with A&E Networks.
Though the legal guardian’s demand to stop the release of the film was denied, Williams’ case against the television networks was moved to the New York Supreme Court in October. This month, the star’s legal team submitted a request for a jury by trial.
