In a devastating development, legendary media personality Wendy Williams is now “cognitively impaired, permanently disabled, and legally incapacitated,” according to her court-appointed guardian's recent statement about her battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
This heartbreaking update emerges amid a complex legal dispute between Williams' guardian, Sabrina E. Morrissey, and various media entities, including A&E Television Networks and Lifetime Entertainment.
The controversy centers around Where Is Wendy Williams?, a docuseries aired shortly after Williams' FTD diagnosis became public in February. The show chronicled the media icon's life following the conclusion of The Wendy Williams Show, delving into her health struggles and the guardianship arrangement established in April 2022.
Photo credit: depositphotos.com “This case arises from the brutally calculated, deliberate actions of powerful and cravenly opportunistic media companies working together with a producer to exploit [Williams] knowingly,” state court documents obtained by PEOPLE. “FTD is a progressive disease, meaning that there is no cure and the symptoms only get worse over time.”
The docuseries has sparked intense debate about ethics and consent. Morrissey contends that Williams was exploited while being “clearly incapable of consenting to be filmed, much less humiliated and exploited.”
Photo credit: depositphotos.com The legal filing further claims that Where Is Wendy Williams? was produced without proper contractual agreements and guardian approval. To protect Williams' “privacy and dignity,” Morrissey seeks court approval for specific redactions regarding her “health, familial relationships, and finances” in the ongoing lawsuit.
Multiple health challenges have marked Williams' journey. After struggling with Graves' disease, lymphedema, and alcohol abuse, she was placed under court-ordered guardianship in April 2022. Her medical team's February statement revealed her dual diagnosis of FTD and aphasia.
Photo credit: depositphotos.com “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 statement read. “In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).”
In a more uplifting moment, the 60-year-old TV personality was spotted this summer in New Jersey, shopping with her son Kevin Hunter Jr. – her first public appearance in over a year. Observers noted she appeared “sharp, upbeat and aware” and “very bubbly,” offering fans a glimpse of the vibrant personality they've come to love over the years.
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