Rumors continue to swirl in regards to former talk show host Wendy Williams after The Wendy Williams Show was officially canceled. Sherri Shepherd is slated to take over the timeslot with her own program after filling in as a guest host on Williams’ series this season. While Shepherd is grateful for the opportunity filling in for the lovingly unpredictable host has provided, the former co-host of The View said she has not spoken to Williams, and clarified that they are "not friends."
Wendy Williams did not return to her eponymous show when Season 14 premiered in January, as she was diagnosed with COVID and had complications from other medical issues. Sherri Shepherd was only one of the many guest hosts who stepped in amid Williams’ absence, like Michael Rapaport, Jerry Springer, Leah Remini and others. In an Instagram post, Williams claimed she was looking forward to returning to work, before the decision was made to keep Shepherd in that spot permanently with a new project. Shepherd told Deadline that she has Williams to thank for being given this opportunity:
I’m so thankful to Wendy for letting me fill in for her and letting me fill the gap to support her as all the other co-hosts have also done. I’m thankful because if it wasn’t for Wendy, the eyes wouldn’t have been on me. I’m so thankful to her. We’re all praying for her.
The media personality said hosting her own talk show has been a lifelong dream for her, and she recognized that she has Wendy Williams to thank. She even said she’d invite Williams on as a guest. When asked if she’d been in touch with the former host, however, the Mr. Iglesias alum clarified that she and Williams are not close:
No, [I have not spoken to Wendy personally]. It’s not like everybody thinks that in Hollywood, we all have each other’s phone numbers. Wendy knows me because I’ve sat in as a guest and I guest hosted for her two years ago. So it’s not like she doesn’t know me but we’re not friends. I am glad that she trusted me when they asked if I could come in and trusted that I could do it.
Sherri Shepherd said she hasn’t spoken with her predecessor personally, which isn’t altogether surprising, given the fact that they don’t seem to have a relationship beyond their TV dealings. Also, the news of her show being canceled couldn’t have been easy for the former host to hear.
The rumors surrounding Wendy Williams’ condition haven’t let up since that announcement was made. Friends are reportedly worried about her well-being, since she’s reportedly been missing medical appointments. There’s been no new activity on the Instagram account she set up. Among the posts that have been shared is a video of Williams saying she was “on the mend” and excited to return to New York, where her show is filmed. However, some of the things she said in the video — including incorrectly referring to her own age — have led some to believe it was old footage.
The media mogul is also fighting a legal battle with her bank, Wells Fargo. The establishment refused her access to her accounts and banking information due to a report from a former financial advisor that said she was “of unsound mind” and the “victim of undue influence and financial exploitation.” The star has since denied those allegations.
Even though they Wendy Williams and Sherri Shepherd don’t have a personal relationship, Shepherd clearly knows has played a part in opening the door for her new gig. And she — like all of us — is wishing the best for Williams.
