Wendy Williams Doesn't Hold Back About The Final Episode Of Her TV Show
When it comes to celebrity news and messy gossip, no show was more in the know than "The Wendy Williams Show." Having first premiered in 2008, daytime TV enthusiasts flocked to the series to hear the beloved broadcaster dive into the latest breakups, unfiltered interviews, and her iconic catchphrase, "How you doin'." However, in the later seasons of the hit TV series, Williams began to experience an array of health problems, including complications with Graves' Disease and a breakthrough case of COVID-19.
Due to the unpredictable nature of her health, the talk show host took an indefinite hiatus from the series — which resulted in celebrity guests like Sherri Shepherd taking over her hosting duties. However in February, distributor Debmar-Mercury revealed that Shepherd would be taking the broadcaster's place with her own show, effectively canceling the long-running series. "Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making the transition," said Debmar-Mercury's Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, via The Hollywood Reporter.
On June 17, fans were left disappointed when "The Wendy Williams Show" aired its final episode without its titular star. "I'm actually very upset 'The Wendy Williams Show' has ended," one fan wrote. Williams' ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, also called out Debmar-Mercury for disregarding the "blood, sweat and tears" Williams put into the show during an interview with ET. After remaining silent on the topic, Williams has finally shared her thoughts on the show's finale.
Wendy Williams reveals why she wasn't part of her show's finale
With "The Wendy Williams Show" officially over, the titular star has shared her thoughts regarding its controversial finale. In an interview with the New York Post, the former radio host revealed why she didn't make a grand return to the series finale. "[Debmar-Mercury] didn't ask me to do that, so I didn't. I sat in my apartment, and I watched it. And [I was] like, 'Eek,'" she explained. Williams went on to say that the final episode should have been done with her instead of the "other people on 'The Wendy Williams Show.'"
Even though the TV icon has expressed her disappointment with the finale, the show's longtime producer Norman Baker has shared a different opinion. In an interview with the "Reality with the King" podcast, Baker said he was happy with what the episode accomplished. "I felt like what we did was from the heart, and it was like good. And it was, you know, what we were supposed to do," he explained. "There's actually no way to end that show. There's no sufficient way to encapsulate what we feel in our hearts for her anyway."
Although Williams' TV era has ended, the "Think Like A Man" star is showing no signs of retiring from the industry. In an interview with "TMZ Live," Williams revealed that she's headed to the podcast realm. "When you're famous, podcasts will make more money for me... than doing 'The Wendy Williams Show,'" she said.