The Wendy Williams Show will air its final new episode this Friday, bringing an end to the daytime series after over 13 years.
Williams, 57, withdrew from the show last year and embarked on what was initially supposed to be a temporary leave of absence to cope with health issues.
A series of rotating guest hosts took her place, and in February it emerged that Sherri Shepherd will permanently take over Williams’ time slot this autumn.
Now a spokesperson for the series has confirmed to Variety that the finale of Williams’ show will be broadcast this Friday without Williams herself.
End of the road: The Wendy Williams Show will air its final new episode this Friday, bringing an end to the daytime series after over 13 years
‘The final original episode of The Wendy Williams Show will air on Friday, June 17th with a video tribute to the iconic host,’ the spokesperson said in a statement. ‘The series comes to an end after 13 successful years in syndication.’
Shepherd, who became a fan favorite during her repeated runs as a guest-host for Williams, will be starring on the show this week, including Friday.
A little over a month ago a Page Six insider revealed that some staffers on the series were hoping Williams would make an appearance on the finale.
The staffers ‘have all these fond memories’ and ‘want her to come back,’ said the source. ‘A lot of people – especially the mid and low-level producers – signed up for the job because of Wendy. It feels like it’s just going to end [without her]. It’s weird.’
Embattled: Williams, 57, withdrew from the show last year and embarked on what was initially supposed to be a temporary leave of absence to cope with health issues
Shepherd’s upcoming syndicated show Sherri unveiled a new trailer last month ahead of its official premiere this autumn.
The Wendy Williams Show began with a six-week preview over the summer of 2008 and then entered syndication the following year.
Williams, who idolized Howard Stern, had already enjoyed a successful career as a radio shock jock, conducting juicy and occasionally combative interviews with stars as major as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
She brought her irreverent style to TV, opening her show each day with a ‘Hot Topics’ segment where she offered her acerbic opinions on the latest showbiz stories.
Point of no return: Now a spokesperson for the series has confirmed to Variety that the finale of Williams’ show will be broadcast this Friday without Williams herself
Williams declared in a recent interview that she would not watch Shepherd’s upcoming talk show because it was not her ‘thing.’
Shepherd replied on Instagram that ‘I understand’ Williams’ position, adding: ‘She’s going through a lot. I’m truly concerned for her.’
Late last month it was revealed that Williams’ finances would be controlled by a court-appointed guardian due to mental health concerns raised by several of the presenter’s former staff.
Williams, who has been a fixture in the Big Apple for decades but has been seen less and less in recent months, has been at war with Wells Fargo since January, after staffers raised concerns that she was of ‘unsound mind.’
In January, Williams’ former financial adviser Lori Schiller, accused the star of being of unsound mind.
The accusation spurred the bank to block Williams – who has a reported net worth of $20million – from accessing her accounts in mid-January as they assessed the situation.
Tip of the hat: ‘The final original episode of The Wendy Williams Show will air on Friday, June 17th with a video tribute to the iconic host,’ the spokesperson said in a statement
The action led Williams to fire Schiller, as well as longtime manager Bernie Young and crisis manager Howard Bragman – both of whom have since spoken out about the presenters’ inability to manage her finances.
‘Bernie and Howard are out,’ a source close to Williams told The Sun at the time. ‘They don’t even have a way to get in contact with her.’
The insider further revealed that ‘no one has no way to get in contact with Wendy,’ and that she doesn’t even have her own phone anymore’ – hinting at the star’s mental state.
Lawyers for Williams responded by filing a motion that month demanding the bank unfreeze her accounts.
Incoming: A series of rotating guest hosts took her place, and in February it emerged that Sherri Shepherd (pictured) will permanently take over Williams’ time slot this autumn
In March, Young, a well known New York producer who’s worked on shows such as The Rose O’Donnell Show and The Martha Stewart Show, filed documents to become Williams’ legal guardian in a bid to gain control over her finances, saying he had the host’s ‘best interests’ at heart.
Young, meanwhile, filed the petition in New York court arguing he should have access to Wendy’s millions because she ‘suffers serious health problems.’
The bank however, ruled the hold be upgraded to a temporary guardianship, further denying Williams access to her assets and statements – as well as her millions of dollars. At the time, Wells Fargo said the media personality was facing ‘undue influence and financial exploitation,’ citing accounts from former adviser Schiller.
The bank ‘has strong reason to believe’ Williams is ‘the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation,’ it claimed at the time.
‘I want my money, this is not fair’: Wells Fargo fire froze Wendy’s account temporarily back in March after her ex-manager Bernie Young reportedly raised concerns over her mental health. It was revealed over the weekend that a New York judge has since made that ruling permanent at least until July, when Williams’ situation will be reportedly reassessed
Legal filings subsequently revealed that Schiller had alleged to the bank that Williams was ‘of unsound mind’ and claimed that she ‘witnessed signs of exploitation, including Wendy Williams’ own expressed apprehension’ about her close acquaintances and team.
Later that month, in three-and-a-half-minute video shared to Instagram, Williams aired her grievances against Wells Fargo, Schiller, Young and the New York court system, accusing them all of unjust treatment.
Williams’ lawyer LaShawn Thomas says they disagree with the ruling, and that Williams will not accept a longterm guardianship.
‘My thing is that I’ve been asking questions about my money and suddenly Lori Schiller has got no response regarding my money,’ Williams said in an impassioned plea.
‘I want my money. It’s not fair, and Wells Fargo has no questions and answers with regarding my money. This is not fair, and Lori Schiller and Wells Fargo have this guardianship petition about keeping me away from my money. This is not right!’
The video saw Williams further fire at former manager Young, noting that he was ‘no good,’ and that the entire ordeal was ‘not fair at all.’
Then, this weekend, it was revealed that the financial guardianship had been made permanent, with the order stating that a New York judge would appoint someone to look over the talking head’s finances at least until July, when the order will be reassessed.
Williams, meanwhile, maintains she is capable of hiring her own financial advisors. She alleges the claims were put forth in an attempt to lessen the public outcry and regulatory scrutiny mounting around Wells Fargo due to their actions – which she calls overly aggressive and wrong.
Williams’ lawyer LaShawn Thomas says they disagree with the ruling, and that Williams will not accept a longterm guardianship.
‘Wendy doesn’t agree with a financial guardian being appointed,’ Thomas explained in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. ‘If it’s the court’s intention to have one appointed over her affairs for the long haul, she definitely isn’t going to accept that.’
Thomas said the recent ruling concerning the guardianship stemmed from a request Williams made to check her bank statements.
The bank didn’t let her, the attorney said, citing that the host was an ‘incapacitated person.’
The guardianship will be reassessed in July.
Williams, pictured here in April, maintains she is capable of hiring her own financial advisors. She alleges the claims were put forth in an attempt to lessen the public outcry and regulatory scrutiny mounting around Wells Fargo due to their actions
Source: | Dailymail.co.uk
