Williamsburg, New York – Former talk show host Wendy Williams has recently been diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, her representatives revealed.
The announcement was made in a press release on Thursday, aimed at dispelling inaccurate rumors about her health that have been circulating. The statement from Williams’ care team acknowledged her previous openness about her struggles with Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema, as well as other health challenges. However, it also addressed the speculation about her ability to process information and the concerns about her condition as she began to experience language difficulties and erratic behavior.
According to her representatives, Williams received her diagnoses in 2023 from Weill Cornell Medicine. The progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia conditions impact communication, personality, and the ability to understand language, as explained by the Mayo Clinic.
The decision to share this news was made after careful consideration to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy, as well as to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. Williams is currently under a court-ordered guardianship, and a Lifetime documentary about her, produced with the participation of her family, is set to release soon.
Prior to the diagnosis, Williams hosted “The Wendy Williams Show” until 2022. The show ended after she was absent from hosting duties, with the official reason being her recovery from Covid-19 and later struggles with Graves’ disease. Williams had developed a reputation for her quick wit and no-filter interviews, as she began her career in radio. She was also known for her candor and openness about her past struggles with addiction, even speaking on her show about living in a sober house in 2019 after seeking treatment for drug use. She filed for divorce from her husband, Kevin Hunter, the same year.
The news of her diagnoses has brought attention to the challenges of dealing with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, shedding light on these conditions and raising awareness about the impact they can have on communication and understanding.