Wendy Williams says she's coming back "bigger and brighter than ever."
On Thursday, the talk show host made the announcement while phoning into Good Morning America, surprising everyone given that Sherri Shepherd has already been tapped to take over Williams' daytime slot with her own show, Sherri.
"Health is very well. I've actually had a few appointments," Williams insisted, though she apparently didn't want to appear on camera for the interview.
"You know, I'm 57 now and I have the mind and body of a 25-year-old," she added, before telling GMA she was "very comfortable" returning to work. In fact, Williams expected she'd be able to return in about three months after dealing with some "private [non-health related] things" and that she'll be "ready to come back and be free and ready to do my thing."
Williams added, “This is what I would to say to my Wendy Watchers: Keep watching because I’m going to be back on the ‘Wendy Show’ bigger and brighter than ever."
Not only that, but Williams also went on to say that she's of "sound mind," contrary to fan speculation spurred by news that Wells Fargo Bank had frozen her accounts.
“They say that I need somebody to handle my account,” she said. “And I don’t want that. I want all my money. I want to see all my money that I’ve worked hard for my entire life. My entire life. I don’t lie, I don’t cheat, and I don’t steal. I am an honest, hard working person.”
After two delayed season premieres, Williams took a step back from her eponymous show last year due to ongoing health issues, including Graves disease, fatigue and a breakthrough case of COVID-19. Eventually though, the show returned for its 13th season with the help of guest hosts like Leah Remini, Whitney Cummings, Michael Rapaport and Jerry Springer.
However, Shepherd quickly became a fan favorite, which spurred TV syndication company, Debmar-Mercury, to greenlight Sherri and end to The Wendy Williams Show. At the time of the cancellation announcement, Williams' representative, Howard Bragman, told outlets that she understood the decision and was "assured by Debmar-Mercury that should her health get to a point where she can host again."
"And should her desire be that she hosts again that she would be back on TV at that time," he said.
So what's going on now? According to Page Six, a source close to Debmar-Mercury said the company was "100 percent committed" to Sherri and has already locked in the necessary time slots. Even so, they also echoed Bragman's previous statement by saying Debmar-Mercury would also support Williams' return, except aren't any more time slots for now — meaning Williams won't be on the air in three months, as she claims.
Read Page Six's full report here.
Photo via Getty / Bravo / NBCU Photo Bank