Wendy Williams, a longtime US daytime talkshow host, has been diagnosed with aphasia and dementia, her team has confirmed in a press release.

On Thursday, Williams’ team shared a “very personal update” in an effort “to correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health”.

“Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,” the press release states.

“In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.”

Her team said they came forward to “raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances”.

“There is hope that with early detection and far more empathy, the stigma associated with dementia will be eliminated, and those affected will receive the understanding, support, and care they deserve and need,” they continued.

Williams can still “do many things for herself”, and has maintained “her trademark sense of humor” while “receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed”, they said.

The former host of The Wendy Williams Show, which ran from 2008 to 2021, has long been a subject of public conversation as she’s grappled with various health issues publicly.

On Halloween in 2017, Williams fainted during a live taping of her show. She later said she was overheated and had low electrolytes. A few months later, in February 2018, Williams confirmed to fans and viewers on her show that she had Graves’ disease, and had been living with it for years. Graves’ disease, according to the Mayo Clinic, is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones.

After a lengthy hiatus from her show in 2019, Williams told fans she had been diagnosed with lymphedema, which the Mayo Clinic identifies as tissue swelling caused by an accumulation of protein-rich fluid that’s usually drained through the body’s lymphatic system. It usually affects the arms or legs, but can also occur in the chest wall, abdomen, neck and genitals.

“It’s not going to kill me, but I do have a machine – and how dare you talk about the swelling of it all,” Williams told fans at the time, adding: “I’ve got it under control.”

Her show was ultimately cancelled in 2021 due to her ongoing health issues.

Since then, Williams made headlines for being in a financial battle with Wells Fargo, which she claimed had denied her entry into her accounts. An unnamed guardian was later put in charge of Williams’ affairs. Williams is also the subject of an upcoming two-part documentary slated to drop on Lifetime this weekend. The documentary, titled Where Is Wendy Williams?, is produced by her and examines her health struggles more closely.

• US television
• Daytime TV
• Television
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