Update, January 19, 2019: Wendy Williams will take an extended break to focus on treatment for her Grave's disease, her family announced on Friday.
"Wendy will be under the strict supervision of her physicians, and as part of her care, there will be significant time spent in the hospital,” her family said in a statement. “Despite her strong desire to return, she is taking a necessary, extended break from her show to focus on her personal and physical well-being."
No date for her return has been announced.
The Wendy Williams Show will air reruns the week of January 21 and return on January 28 with guests hosts, USA Today reports.
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This article was originally published on February 21, 2018.
After canceling a number of shows these past few weeks, Wendy Williams announced on-air that she would be taking three weeks off to focus on her health. The host was diagnosed with Graves' disease, a condition in which the thyroid overproduces hormones resulting in anxiety, hand tremor, heat sensitivity, weight loss, puffy eyes, and and enlarged thyroid.
"My doctor has prescribed ... are you ready? As of today, three weeks of vacation," Williams told her audience on the show. "What? Who are you? I was pissed."
Williams is not one to take time off. In fact, she joked that she'd be back in just two weeks, because, "I'm not an heiress. Who is going to pay my bills? Are you serious? I'm just saying, I come from working class."
It's not known if this diagnoses has anything to do with the fall she took back in October after fainting on air. Shortly after the stumble, her publicist told Us Weekly that Williams was "dehydrated and is on her way home for a good day and night of sleep. She has been examined by medical professionals and is well. She is OK and will continue as shows as planned. She will address this on-air tomorrow. She has never missed a day of work and is looking forward on November 13th to her 1500th show."
"They told me that I went down on my booty first … rolled onto my back, then, boom — on my head," Williams said to the audience when she returned. "I have no headache, no lump on my head. At 53 years old, no aching in my body. I am shocked."
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For someone who rarely misses a day of work, taking three weeks off is significant. Here's to a speedy recovery and a swift return to her signature hot takes.
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