Wendy Williams says she's 'doing fabulous' as she exits Miami wellness center in Versace bathrobe
Wendy Williams is doing "better every day."
That's what a source close to the talk show host tells Yahoo Entertainment after a video surfaced of Williams leaving a Miami wellness center this week. The Wendy Williams Show host, 57, has been out all season of her talk show, so far, as she recovers from ongoing health issues.
As rumors continue to fly about what exactly has been ailing her, the talk show queen was spotted, in an exclusive clip on The Shade Room, exiting the wellness facility, on the arm of her chauffeur and flanked by two other people, as she walked to the car. She was wearing a $595 red Versace bathrobe and no shoes.
She walked to a waiting car as a paparazzo peppered her with questions, including one about her show being "canceled." It isn't, for the record, she's had a number of guest hosts, including Sherri Shepherd and Leah Remini filling in for her.
Williams ignored that, but did say, "Wendy is doing fabulous," when asked how she's feeling. She also said, "Thank you," when told that people hope she feels better soon.
Before her driver closed the door, Williams promised fans "much more Wendy stuff."
Fans, or her "co-stars" as she likes to call them, have been eager for Williams to return to her purple perch on the show which first debuted in 2008.
Just ahead of the Season 13 premiere in September, Williams fell ill, citing at first her ongoing health issues, as she's been candid about having the immune system disorder Grave's disease, and then testing positive for breakthrough COVID-19. Her latest update was that she's making progress, but it's taking longer than expected.
Williams has also been candid about past substance abuse issues, including in 2019. So that's led to additional speculation. And then, just before Thanksgiving, a tabloid reported that Williams could no longer walk after she was photographed using a wheelchair on multiple occasions in NYC.
The tabloid The Sun also reported that Williams, who has been photographed several times in robes and sans shoes while out, has been suffering from early-onset dementia. However, her younger brother Tommy denied that.
"We haven't had any alerts like that and I haven't seen anything like that or have had conversations with her that would lead me to believe that," he said. "My dad speaks with Wendy frequently. So no, we don't have any concerns concerning her mental state. It’s all physical."
There have also been rumors that a permanent replacement will be announced for Williams when the show returns in January after the holiday break – with Shepherd's name being floated.
A rep for the show hasn't responded to our request for comment about a permanent hosting change, but Williams is a producer, so she'd have input.