For 12 years she was one of daytime’s most bold and beloved personalities. Then she was gone, replaced by a string of guest hosts amid tabloid rumors. Now a behind-the-scenes look at what really went down with TV’s queen of the purple throne.
When Wendy Williams debuted her nationally syndicated daytime talk show in the summer of 2009, some industry-watchers wondered if the brash host, who made a name for herself on hip-hop radio stations in Philadelphia and New York, could translate to a national audience. Williams quickly proved her critics had nothing to worry about. Last Friday, The Wendy Williams Show aired its final episode amid Williams’s ongoing health struggles and reports that the 57-year-old host was placed under a financial guardianship after Wells Fargo argued in a petition that she had been the “victim of undue influence and financial exploitation.” Here’s a timeline of some of the show’s best and worst moments over the past 13 years.
The New York-based daily talk show with Sherri Shepherd, the actress, comedian, best-selling author and daytime Emmy winner as longtime co-host of The View, will take over the Fox O&O time slots currently held by Debmar-Mercury’s The Wendy Williams Show.
The Wendy Williams Show on Wednesday said it is adding additional guests hosts to the calendar through most of the month of November as Williams continues to recover from recent health issues.
As New York is entering state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic, New York-based shows have started to suspend production. That includes NBC’s latenight programs The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers, and syndicated daytime talker The Wendy Williams Show. In addition, CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert is joining its NBC late-night counterparts in suspending production.
The additional two-year renewal extends the run of nationally syndicated talk franchise to 13 seasons.
Exclusives
Kevin Hunter is out as an executive producer of The Wendy Williams Show on the heels of Williams’ announcement that she plans to file for divorce from him, her husband of 22 years.
Wendy Williams won’t be on the small screen next week. Amid personal turmoil, Williams, 54, and her eponymous talk show are going on hiatus for the week. The Wendy Williams Show will air repeats next week and resume taping new episodes the following week.
Nick Cannon, host of Fox’s breakout The Masked Singer and MTV’s Wild n’ Out, has been set as the first guest host for The Wendy Williams Show. He will be subbing for Williams who recently announced that she is taking an extended break from her syndicated daytime talk show while recovering from a fractured shoulder.
Williams, who is recovering from an injury she said she suffered last month, will resume taping of her syndicated Wendy Williams Show on Jan. 21, distributor and producer Debmar-Mercury confirmed Wednesday. That’s a week later than the Jan. 14 return date that had been previously announced.
