Wendy Williams Hunter, the iconic host of a US daytime talk show, received a diagnosis last year of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as disclosed by her care team.

The team said it was sharing the news “to correct inaccurate and hurtful rumours about her health”.

At 59 years old, Ms. Williams had been the host of the widely watched Wendy Williams Show for over a decade. However, it came to an end in 2022 due to the health challenges she had been confronting.

The news of her diagnosis comes a day after a People Magazine cover story, in which relatives said Ms Williams is at a care facility in an unknown location and has been in a shocking health “spiral”.



“As Wendy’s fans are aware, in the past she has been open with the public about her medical struggles with Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema as well as other significant challenges related to her health,” her care team wrote in a statement on Thursday.

“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 team further stated that Ms. Williams' diagnosis was substantiated through a series of medical tests conducted last year.

Aphasia, a syndrome affecting the nervous system, impairs the ability to communicate, often causing difficulties in expressing thoughts and, in severe cases, a loss of the ability to speak or write.

FTD, an incurable brain disorder, results from damage to the left side of the brain, impacting language and communication abilities.

The symptoms of this progressive condition, which worsen over time, can be mitigated, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) state that there is currently no treatment available to slow or prevent its progression.

This rare disease typically affects individuals at a younger age compared to other forms of dementia, with the majority receiving a diagnosis between the ages of 45 and 64 years old.

Ms. Williams' journey closely parallels that of Hollywood icon Bruce Willis, who received a diagnosis of aphasia in 2022 and later FTD last year.

In its statement, the New Jersey native’s care team said FTD has “already presented significant hurdles” but Ms Williams “is still able to do many things for herself”.

“Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humour and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed,” they wrote.

The talk show host, set to turn 60 in July, initiated her career in radio as a DJ and shock jock in New York. However, she rose to prominence as the dynamic host of The Wendy Williams Show, a role she held from 2008 to 2021.

Ms. Williams' distinctive hosting style, unfiltered remarks, and on-air conflicts persist as viral moments on the Internet.

Concerns regarding Ms. Williams' health have circulated for several years. In 2017, during a Halloween episode, she fainted, prompting a wave of worry among viewers.

During her absence on medical leave in 2021, a succession of guest hosts had to fill in for Ms. Williams to address Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder.

Producers cancelled the show the next year. Ms Williams was placed under a financial guardianship a few months later, after the Wells Fargo bank argued she was “incapacitated”.

The Lifetime network, known for broadcasting the documentary Wendy Williams: What a Mess, is gearing up to release another two-part documentary titled Where is Wendy Williams? this weekend.

The choice to share this information publicly was made with the intention of encouraging compassion for their client and raising awareness about the condition, as explained by her care team.

The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration notes that not all physicians acknowledge the condition, leading to potential misdiagnosis or the absence of a diagnosis for FTD patients. Stigma and misunderstanding can also arise due to the behavioral changes exhibited by patients.