The Wendy Williams Show
The syndicated talk show came to an end June 17 following a rotation of guest hosts, who filled in for Williams as she attended to health problems, per a Sept. 2021 statement. But as the series drew to a close, Williams said that she hoped to return to her iconic purple chair in the near future.
The Wendy Williams Show
While Debar-Mercury, the production company behind the show, was initially hopeful Williams could return, the company's executive vp of programming Lonnie Burstein said to The Hollywood Reporter Aug. 17 it eventually became clear that Williams' condition wasn't going to improve enough for her to host again. "To this day," he said in THR's report outlining the long-running show's demise, "we don't know truly what the issue is."
Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein noted to THR that they tried to continue the show with guest hosts as long as they could, but they eventually had to make an official announcement regarding the future of The Wendy Williams Show.
In February, it was announced that Sherri Shepherd, a frequent guest host in the months prior, would become a successor to Wendy with her own show, Sherri, debuting later this year for the 2022-2023 season. It was a move that upset fans, who were even more dismayed when it was officially announced this week that Wendy would air its last show today.
"Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making this transition now," company co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said in a statement.
"I'm very comfortable," Williams said at the time. "My partners with the show, everybody's ready. Give me about three months. There are private things that I have to deal with, and then I'll be ready to come back and be free and ready to do my thing."
The Wendy Williams Show has reached its official end. According to an exclusive report from Variety, the long-running talk show led by TV and radio personality Wendy Williams has named the air date for the series finale. The show has aired the entire season without Williams due to health issues and the host is not set to return for the last broadcast. Her legacy will be tributed with a video montage during the program.
As Williams recovered, guest hosts for the series included Remy Ma and Fat Joe, VIBE alum Bevy Smith, Variety chief correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister, and comedian Michal Yo. Sherri Shepherd was also temporarily filling in for Williams until she was named the permanent replacement in February. Her new show Sherri is set to take over the time slots currently held by The Wendy Williams Show on Fox owned-and-operated stations.
The news arrives just a few weeks after the talk show aired its final episode following 13 years in syndication. Williams had been the host of the show since its debut in 2009 but has been absent several times in recent years as the 57-year-old has been dealing with various health complications.
After a 13-year run, The Wendy Williams Show comes to an end this week. As reported by Deadline, the very last episode of the long-running daytime talk show will air on Friday, June 17. Wendy Williams will not personally be present, as she has been sitting out this season due to health issues, though interim host Sherri Shepherd will be sending off Williams with a special tribute video.
The Wendy Williams Show, also referred to as Wendy, originally debuted in 2008. For many years, it had served as direct competition to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which also just recently wrapped up its own run after 19 seasons. The future of Wendy was in jeopardy after Williams took a leave of absence from the talk show last year because of her medical issues. In February, it was reported that a new talk show featuring Sherri Shepherd would take over the time slot for The Wendy Williams Show in the 2022-23 season.
This morning, it was announced that guest host of the Wendy Williams Show, actress Sherri Shepherd would be taking over the time slot with her own show, Sherri. In addition to acting and her work as an author, Shepherd was a previous co-host of The View from 2007 to 2014.
After fainting on live television in 2017 due to other health issues, battles with addiction and her recent recovery from COVID-19, the radio veteran and queen of celebrity gossip Wendy Williams has been going through it the past few years. In 2021, Williams executive produced a documentary and movie about her life and most intimate moments which aired on the Lifetime network which further illuminated these struggles. It appears that it is now time for her to put the TV show to rest while she focuses on her health and wellness.
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Now in her 13th season with Fox and BET, distributed by Debmar-Mercury, Williams has been on medical leave during her ongoing battle with the autoimmune disorder Graves' disease, while guest hosts have run her show. It is unknown if Williams, 57, will return to her purple chair once more before the end of her run.
"Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making this transition now," Marcus and Bernstein said in the release.
Shepherd will be an executive producer of "Sherri," alongside producing partner and media personality Jawn Murray, as well as David Perler, who will continue in the executive producer and showrunner role he has held for the past 12 seasons of "The Wendy Williams Show."
"Wendy is an extraordinary talent," said Debmar-Mercury Co-President Ira Bernstein. "Wendy has attracted the strongest ratings for a new offering in years and generated enormous buzz around the country -- unheard of for a show airing only in four markets. We believe Wendy has the potential to be the next generation Oprah and are grateful to Fox for believing in Wendy as much as we do."
Commented Debmar-Mercury Co-President Mort Marcus, "Our plan has always been to offer stations a proven performer with broad appeal to today's viewers, as well as a production that has been perfected over the course of 30 preview episodes. Now we will have the chance to launch Wendy far ahead of the crowded pack of new talk shows on tap for fall 2009."
"The Wendy Williams Show" is a daily, one-hour entertainment talk show starring New York DJ, syndicated radio host, TV personality and best-selling author Wendy Williams. Broadcast live from New York, it features Williams' commentary on celebrity gossip and news events, as well as interviews, fashion and advice segments in which Williams helps audience members and viewers handle personal life issues involving sex, relationships, money and dating.
Williams noted, "Doing the daily show for the past six weeks has really been one of the most exciting times in my life. It has given me the chance to be myself while living out my dream and connecting with my fans on a whole new level. I am incredibly excited about coming back next year, and want to thank the Fox Television Stations group and Debmar-Mercury for all their help in getting this show on the air and making it a true phenomenon this summer."
Debmar-Mercury is a worldwide production and distribution company specializing in cable, network, VOD/Pay-Per-View and Pay TV, and has emerged as a leading force in syndication. The company produces and distributes "The Wendy Williams Show," and in association with Hasbro, Inc., "Trivial Pursuit: America Plays;" it distributes "Tyler Perry's House of Payne," "American Chopper," "The Deadliest Catch," "South Park;" "Family Feud," "The Surreal Life" family of celebrity-based reality shows, "The Dead Zone," entertaining series for educational/informational time periods, and an extensive movie library featuring titles from Revolution Studios and Lionsgate.
Despite weathering a messy divorce, a Graves' disease diagnosis, and drug addiction, Wendy Williams made it through nearly 14 years on the air with her popular daytime talk show. But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.
The Wendy Williams Show, which first aired in 2008, is coming to an end. "The final original episode of The Wendy Williams Show will air on Friday, June 17th, with a video tribute to the iconic host," a spokesperson for the show told People.
In addition to several of Wendy's health-related absences over the years, the show's production was also temporarily shut down to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Not to mention that in the fall of 2021, the Season 13 premiere was also pushed back after Wendy caught COVID-19, despite being vaccinated.
In 2008, Williams landed her own daytime talk show, The Wendy Williams Show. It initially aired in only four cities but was picked up nationally in 2009 and eventually internationally. Through the years, the series has traded off with The Ellen DeGeneres Show as the top-rated syndicated talk show with a female host.
The Wendy Williams clothing designer faced backlash in January 2020 after lifting up her top lip on TV while showing a photo of a scar that Phoenix was born with. She later vowed to donate to the nonprofit organizations Operation Smile and the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.
Anderson, an electronic media major from Glen Cove, New York, is preparing for a future career as a producer or stage manager while serving as a production assistant on the daytime talk show. The show airs in the Triad at 1 p.m. on Fox 8 WGHP each weekday as well as other times and networks across the country.
The show has been airing all season without its host. Instead, the daytime program has recruited a variety of different guest hosts, including Sherri Shepherd, who is guest hosting the final week and Friday's finale. In the fall, Shepherd will be taking over the time slot with her new show, Sherri. 041b061a72