Season 13 of The Wendy Williams Show has been a strange one. The eponymous host has not appeared on her show this season, with guest hosts — including Sherri Shepherd — filling in as Wendy Williams reportedly battled health issues. Even as Williams denied some scary rumors and insisted that she was on the mend, the decision was made to officially end The Wendy Williams Show and replace it permanently with Sherri. As Debmar-Mercury, Shepherd, the crew, and everyone else involved continue turning over this new leaf, is there a chance Williams could make an appearance in her show’s series finale?
Wendy Williams really does seem to be in better health these days, and she says she’s gearing up for a return to television after she regains control of her finances. Is there a chance, though, that she could get some closure on her current show before its last episode, which is reportedly slated to air June 17? According to Page Six, some staffers on The Wendy Williams Show are angling for her to return one last time, with an insider saying that many feel there should be a tribute to the host or a farewell:
People want her to come back… 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.
It certainly seems like a long shot, since Wendy Williams hasn’t been on the show all season, and she’s even thrown some shade in the direction of guest host Sherri Shepherd ahead of the official takeover. There seems to be no love lost for the new host, however, as Shepherd recently pointed out that she and Williams aren’t friends. Regardless of the relationship between the former and incoming hosts, another source told Page Six that the crew has no interest in looking back:
There have been days where people thought they wouldn’t have a job because she wouldn’t show up to work, so this idea that there’s some conundrum? No. She held the fate of almost 125 staffers’ ability to care for their families [in her hands]. They’re glad they finally have some security in their life [with Shepherd’s show].
Sherri Shepherd will reportedly inherit most of Wendy Williams’ staff for Sherri. A third source seemed to agree that an appearance by the beloved entertainer is unlikely:
It is not happening. It’s wishful thinking that she’s going to appear on any last episodes. The woman has not shown up to work since July. Everyone is just ready to move on.
While it may be wishful thinking, it would make sense for The Wendy Williams Show to pay tribute to the woman whose name the show still carries. Even if this last season was a chaotic one for all involved, you don’t get to Season 13 by accident, and the show owes a lot to Wendy Williams, regardless of who is hosting its final episodes.
Earlier this year, a report claimed that the star wasn’t always “functioning” like she used to and needed “help eating, getting out of bed and getting dressed.” Around the same time, Williams’ bank, Wells Fargo, reportedly suggested that she needed guardianship when it came to financial matters. The former talk show host voiced frustrations with her bank, which she said had denied her access to her accounts. She also accused her ex-manager of spending $10,000 on one of her credit cards without permission.
Within the past few weeks, the celebrity gossip maven publicly stated that she’d be ready to make her television return in a matter of months, after getting her financial affairs in order. In April, a source claimed that she was working with Wells Fargo to get access to her accounts again and that she’s ready to get back to work.
We’re excited to see what’s next for Wendy Williams, whether that means a farewell appearance on her talk show or a new project altogether. While we wait for updates on that, check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.