WENDY Williams staff believe the troubled host “will never return” as she delays her season premiere again after being hospitalized for psychiatric issues.
A source close to The Wendy Williams Show exclusively told The Sun that “Wendy staff are looking for new jobs. They don’t believe she will ever come back.
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“It’s a mass exodus. They are trying to get out before the ship sinks.”
The insider also said that it’s a tough spot for her team as the show does really well in the ratings.
“Her numbers are good. She’s no Oprah but her show is cheap and she beats Tamron Hall.”
The people that work so hard on Wendy’s show “are pissed,” the source added.
“She’s ruining this for everyone.”
MORE DELAYS
The Wendy Williams Show had been postponed from its original return date of September 20 to two weeks later on October 4. But now it’s been delayed again.
A statement posted on Wendy’s show’s Instagram page read: “Wendy will not be returning with new shows on October 4.
“She has been and continues to be under a doctor’s care and is still not ready to return to work. We plan to return with new shows on October 18.
“Her breakthrough Covid case is no longer an issue and she has tested negative, but she is still dealing with some ongoing medical issues.”
One source previously noted to The Sun that Wendy’s show premiere doesn’t just impact her show’s revenue- it also impacts Nick Cannon’s eponymous daytime talk show as well.
“The pressure is on him to get ratings- and without the huge lead in, he’s dead.”
On top of mounting pressure to return- her show has yet to be renewed beyond this season.
NO RENEWAL YET
“The show is set to air through the 2021-22 season. There is no decision beyond that, but she could very well walk away. She’s over it.”
Another insider points out that the way this season is starting isn’t just unique in that the premiere has been delayed due Wendy’s health issues.
“Normally by now they would have announced the renewal long ago. But there is still no word yet beyond 2022.
“It was two years ago- in 2019- when they announced that Wendy was renewed for this season, and here we are about to be at the start of it and yet there is no announcement on the show’s future beyond this season.
Recently, in exclusive photos obtained by The Sun, a wheelchair-bound Wendy looked frail with badly bruised legs during an outing where she was assisted by a young man pushing her wheelchair.
The 57-year-old talk show host was lifted out of her wheelchair to be placed into the back seat of a waiting SUV in New York City.
CONCERNS FOR WENDY
The Sun was the first to report that the TV star had been “struggling with addiction” leading up to her hospitalization for psychiatric issues.
Her psychiatric hospitalization was the same day her show’s Instagram account put out a statement about her Covid diagnosis.
“Wendy was drinking every day, even while filming the show,” an insider revealed to The Sun.
The source added that staffers have said they would smell the liquor on her.
WENDY’S HEALTH SCARE
Wendy was transported to a local New York City hospital on September 15th after police received a 911 call from her building at 8am about a “57-year-old female in need of psychiatric services.”
An ambulance arrived on scene and transported a woman matching the host’s description to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
PREVIOUS STRUGGLES
The daytime diva opened up to her audience in April of 2019 that she was struggling with her addictions on the heels of filing for divorce from Kevin Hunter, 49, after it was revealed that he had a baby with his mistress Sharina Hudson, 35.
At the time, Wendy confessed that she had been living in a sober house.
She told her audience: “I’m moving out of the sober house in just a few days, you know. It’ll be Wendy on her own.
“I have to tell you, you know, I’ve been dealing with issues with addiction, alcoholism, and I have a whole new life that I planned for myself and my son.”
SHOW PREMIERE POSTPONEMENT
A statement on Wendy’s show’s Instagram on September 15th stated: “While continuing her health evaluations, Wendy has tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19.
“To allow Wendy time to quarantine and fully recover and to ensure that our production abides by all SAG/AFTRA and DGA Covid protocols, we expect to begin the 13th season of The Wendy Williams Show on Monday, October 4th.
“In the meantime, repeats will be scheduled.”
And days before that, on September 9th, the show announced that the host was taking a step back from promotional events amid “ongoing health issues and further evaluations.”
That statement read: “She will not be able to complete her promotional activities next week, but can’t wait to be back in her purple chair on Monday, September 20th for the 13th season premiere.”
Fans became concerned about Wendy’s health in 2017, when she fainted during a live taping of her show on Halloween.
HEALTH PROBLEMS
At the time, Wendy blamed the scary incident on feeling overheated and suffering from low electrolytes.
But in February 2018, she announced that she had Graves’ disease, and had been living with it for years.
The next month, Wendy showed viewers a close-up of her severely swollen ankles while sharing that she suffers from Lymphedema.
The famous star admitted she can’t even walk two blocks because of the disease.
WENDY’S ROMANCE
Amid her health issues, Wendy struggled with her sobriety in 2019 following an ugly split from her ex-husband.
Wendy, who has been open about her struggles with alcohol and substance abuse in the past, sought treatment during this difficult period – she reportedly checked into rehab in Florida.
REHAB STINT
Wendy would eventually file for divorce; however the pressures of their split were further amplified when their son, Kevin Jr, got into an alleged altercation with his father in a parking lot in New Jersey.
The 21-year-old was subsequently arrested for simple assault – a charge that would ultimately be dismissed.
Wendy later claimed she knew Kevin had a “side girl” for almost 15 years of their nearly 22-year marriage.
Wendy returned to New York from her rehab stint and moved into a sober house in early 2019.
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