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Sad news emerged on Thursday that Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia and speech-affecting aphasia. It’s the same diagnosis as Bruce Willis. Her team shared the news just days before the release of her highly anticipated documentary Where Is Wendy Williams?, premiering Saturday (Feb. 23) on Lifetime.
Williams has been open about her struggle with addiction, Graves’ Disease, and Lymphedema. People reported that Williams entered a treatment facility in April 2023, for “cognitive issues” which is when they stopped filming her documentary.
“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 begins to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,” her team said in a press release.
Amid rumors surrounding her absence from the public eye in recent years, this new diagnosis sheds light on her situation. “The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia,” it continued.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a group of disorders characterized by progressive damage to the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes, leading to changes in behavior, personality, and language skills. It often affects individuals at a younger age compared to other forms of dementia.
Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a subtype of FTD characterized by the gradual loss of language abilities, including difficulty with speaking, understanding language, reading, and writing.
Williams is cherished by millions of fans for her long-running TV show and was known for her unapologetic and candid demeanor when discussing prominent figures in Hollywood. In January 2022, Wells Fargo successfully petitioned a New York court to have Williams placed under temporary financial guardianship. Cameras began following her that same year before she tried to launch a podcast comeback.
A trailer for the documentary shows Williams seemingly struggling with alcoholism, financial struggles, problems with her memory, and ability to communicate.
Her sister, niece, and brother claim they don’t know what facility she is staying at, and her family says the legal guardian is the only person who has unfettered access to her. “We cannot reach out to her, but she can reach out to us. And she is in a healing place emotionally. She’s not the person that you see in this film,” her sister Wanda Finnie told PEOPLE.