Wendy Williams Isn’t Coming Back To Her Show This Season

Amid ongoing health issues, Williams has been absent and Sherri Shepherd is stepping in as the host of The Wendy Williams Show.

By Jenna Amatulli  |  February 9, 2022 | 3:30pm
CelebritiesDirt Bag
Wendy Williams Isn’t Coming Back To Her Show This Season
Image:Michael Tran/FilmMagic (Getty Images)

Things are not looking great in the world of Wendy Williams. On Tuesday, it was announced that she won’t be returning to her daytime talk show this season and that it’s unclear if she’ll even return at all. Sherri Shepherd has already been tapped to step in for Williams and host the rest of the 13th season of The Wendy Williams Show.

The premiere of Williams’ show last year was initially pushed back after she tested positive for covid. It was later pushed back further due to her “ongoing health issues,” as Williams has been battling the autoimmune disorder Graves’ disease. Upon the show finally premiering on October 18, 2021, it returned with rotating guest hosts, which have included Shepherd. Sources told Variety that Shepherd “has been popular with audiences” and “emerged as the frontrunner to possibly take over Williams’ timeslot” if Williams does not return.

In November, Williams wrote in a statement on Instagram that she’s thankful for “all of my staff and our guest hosts for stepping up and stepping in while I can’t be there” and that she’s heard the “prayers and comments” from fans and feels “all the love!”

“I love spending my mornings with you all and I’m doing everything I can to get back to work, but right now Wendy has to focus on Wendy. I love you for watching,” she said at the time.

Shepherd is slated to begin hosting as of September 2022, as per Page Six. If Williams isn’t well enough, the publication claims that “Shepherd will take over and producers will consider a name change for the talk show.”

Prayers up for Wendy.