The former talk show host and TV personality who dominated airwaves for 13 seasons is back and ready for work. In a rare clip posted online, Wendy Williams says she’s “just happy to be here” after a short-term stay at a wellness facility last year.
“Happy holidays!” the New Jersey star said on her podcast’s Instagram page. “Tis the season for the winter. Listen, don’t forget to check out your favorite Wendy Experience merchandise. I don’t know what else you’re doing. I’m just happy to be here…and well…happy to be here.”
Williams’ team has been promoting her upcoming podcast, The Wendy Williams Experience, since it was announced that her run as host of The Wendy Williams Show was coming to an end in 2022 due to health issues.
Issues about Williams’ health began to surface after she passed out live on air during The Wendy Williams Show. After regaining consciousness during a commercial break, she came back on air and told viewers she was “fine.” At the time, she said she passed out from overheating in a Statue of Liberty costume she was wearing for Halloween. Since then, she would occasionally take breaks from the show for health reasons. The show was eventually canceled in June after 13 seasons on air. Months later, Wells Fargo froze her assets, claiming she was not mentally able to manage her own funds.
“I went through a period of substance abuse.
Earlier in my career I was with the cocaine and it was a mess. I was functioning but it was a mess,” she told Dr. Oz in a 2018 interview. “It was 12 years of my life partying hard…I woke up one day and I said no more.”
Since then, she has mostly stayed out of the public eye, only making a few appearances on interviews and Instagram posts.
In one emotional interview, Williams began to cry as she walked onstage for a Circle of Sisters event hosted by her former employer WBLS, where she worked for eight years before leaving to pursue TV full-time.
“These are tears of laughter,” she said. “But also tears of sincere just thank you.”
The 58-year-old is ready to go full throttle again, according to her rep Shawn Zanotti. In an E! News interview, he dished about how eager he is to have his client come back on the scene and continued to promote merchandise from the upcoming podcast.
“The gear features comfortable hoodies and caps featuring many of Wendy’s famous quotes. Shirts lined with words like ‘How You Doin’, ‘Excuse Me’ and many more classic Wendy sayings.”
