Wendy Williams' Rep Says Former Host Is 'Not In The Hospital' Amid Growing Health Concerns
By Favour Adegoke on May 22, 2023 at 1:00 PM EDT
A rep for Wendy Williams denied rumors that the former reality TV show host is hospitalized. It comes after news broke that Willams had been seen in and out of the hospital.
The former DJ, who was axed from her "Wendy Willams" show amid health concerns, has continued to have challenges that have kept fans worried about her well-being.
She recently backed out of attending a speaking engagement in Atlanta, and no reason was offered to explain her decision.
Wendy Williams Is Reportedly Not Hospitalized Amid Health Concerns
Per Page Six, Williams is not on admission at any hospital amid growing concerns about her health status.
The TV personality was said to have visited a medical facility in New York twice in the past two weeks on a yet-to-be-disclosed issue, but doctors did not keep her on admission.
"I can confirm that Wendy Williams is not in the hospital, as reported. I can also confirm she is not in New York, as reported," a rep for Williams, Shawn Zanotti, told the publication on Saturday.
An earlier source on Friday claimed that the former "Wendy Williams" show host spent last weekend in and out of the hospital. At the time, it was also said that her family was "aware" of the situation and that the former radio DJ had not entered a rehabilitation facility.
No Explanation For Wendy Williams' Absence
Amid the uncertainty about Williams' health status, the 58-year-old canceled her intended appearance at the Atlanta Women's Expo, where she was slated to speak to the attendees.
From the looks of things, the decision was taken at the 11th hour, although the showrunners quickly replaced her with Grammy-winning R&B artist Monica.
Wendy reportedly missed out on getting paid $25,000 for the two-day engagement, raising concerns that her decision to back out wasn't over a trivial issue.
"We regretfully have to inform you that Wendy Williams will not appear at The Ultimate Women's Expo in Atlanta on May 20th, 2023. It was with great consideration that we felt it was best for Wendy to join the Ultimate Women's Expo later," read a statement released by the showrunners, per Page Six.
Wendy Williams Wants To Relaunch Her Career
Williams has been looking to relaunch her career after taking a long media break following her ousting from the "Wendy Williams" show.
Last month, her longtime rep and former publicist for her axed show, Zannotti, shared details about the TV personality's intended comeback, revealing that it would be something other than a reality TV show.
"After taking a long break, Wendy feels some of the best days of her life were in media," Zanotti said. "She has been in media since her early 20s and wants to return to what she loves."
Zannoti revealed that Willams is filming but remained coy about the name and other specifics.
She added, "Getting back to what she loves is important. Yes, Wendy is filming…Yes, she is gearing up for something, and the specifics can't be disclosed yet."
Her Former Producers Have Been Axed From 'Sherri'
Meanwhile, drastic changes have occurred since Williams' reality show was axed and replaced with Sherri Shepherd's "Sherri." Earlier in the month, it was reported that Shepherd parted ways with Williams' top producers, David Perler and Suzanne Bass, for the next installment of her eponymous daytime talk show.
The duo was allegedly let go because Shepherd wanted "fresh energy" for Season 2 to help portray her show in her light. A rep for Debmar-Mercury, showrunner for both the Williams and Shepherd shows, released a statement about the situation.
It read, per Page Six, "[Perler and Bass] have been integral to Debmar-Mercury's success in daytime syndication for many years and have helped launch 'Sherri'… Debmar Mercury wishes them all the best in future endeavors and hopes to work with them."