Former daytime talk show host Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with aphasia and dementia, her representatives have confirmed.
Williams, 59, hosted the popular, nationally syndicated Wendy Williams Show for over a decade before it was canned in 2022 as her health struggles intensified.
William’s team revealed in a press statement that she has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) the same form of the illness as actor Bruce Willis.
Aphasia is a condition that affects language and communication abilities, while FTD is a disorder that impacts behavior and cognitive functions.
“Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,” the press release states.
“In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Her team said they came forward to “raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances”.
“There is hope that with early detection and far more empathy, the stigma associated with dementia will be eliminated, and those affected will receive the understanding, support, and care they deserve and need,” they continued.
Concerns over Williams’ health began in 2017 after she fainted in the middle of a Halloween episode.
A series of guest hosts had to step in for Williams while she was out on medical leave to address Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder, back in 2021. Producers cancelled the show the next year. Daily Mast
