Wendy Williams’ Family Confirms She Wants to Return to TV After Treatment Program: Whatever ‘Makes Her Happy’

Wendy Williams’ loved ones shed new light on her story — and her next steps in Hollywood.

Former talk show host Alex Finnie’s niece appeared on Good morning America Thursday morning before this weekend’s premiere Where is Wendy Williams?Lifetime’s new documentary shot between August 2022 and April 2023.

“I said I’m not going to cry because I feel like I’ve cried enough in the last year and a half,” said Alex Deborah Roberts. “But what people are going to see is a broken woman who has held the world on her shoulders for so long and has snapped.”

While discussing Williams’ conservatorship, alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning, Alex confirmed that her aunt is still keen to return to the screen. Currently in a treatment center at a location unknown to her family, Williams has set her sights on continuing her legacy in television. “I know from talking to her that she hopes to continue her career,” Alex said. “And I hope she does whatever she wants to make her happy. And that stays within the limits of maintaining her health.”

Wendy Williams Family Breaks Silence On Her ‘Shocking And Heartbreaking’ Struggles Over The Last 3 Years (Exclusive)

Wendy Williams in September 2018.

Santiago Felipe/Getty

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The conversation touched on some of Williams’ most controversial public moments, from the moment she collapsed on air to her own admission that she was living in a sober home after a personal battle with cocaine. An upcoming Lifetime documentary details Williams’ alcohol consumption, which some family members believe was an addiction. “As for the alcohol, I don’t want to categorize it because I’m not a medical professional,” Alex said. “But what I can say is that my aunt had some unhealthy habits when it came to alcohol.”

Williams has been under guardianship and has also faced financial problems with some allegations that a family member — possibly her son Kevin Jr. – took money without her consent, which he strongly denies in the documentary. “I personally haven’t seen the family take advantage of my own money,” Alex said.

“The family was excluded [by Wendy]”, she added. “We would take responsibility for custody and personal needs to ensure she is healthy. I’m not talking about her money. You put money here and New York appointed a guardian to manage her life and finances.”

Alex reminded viewers that Williams is the executive producer of the documentary and decided it was time to “take ownership” of her story. After the recording, Alex reported immediately noticeable changes in her aunt’s mental processing abilities. “As soon as I saw her,” she noticed cognitive changes. “She didn’t have to say anything. I knew every cylinder wasn’t firing as it should.”

Wendy Williams February 15, 2023

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Williams, 59, was last seen on The Wendy Williams Show in July 2021. Amid ongoing health issues, including Graves’ disease, lymphedema and alcohol abuse, numerous celebrities have appeared as guest hosts. After ending in June 2022 after almost 14 years, Sherri Shepherd took over the primetime slot of her own talk show.

Sherri Shepherd Says She’s ‘Really Worried’ About Wendy Williams: ‘She’s Going Through A Lot’

Williams entered a facility to treat “cognitive issues” in April 2023 and was named a court-appointed legal guardian. Her sister Wanda Finnie and niece Alex told PEOPLE in this week’s cover story that they’ve seen a difference.

“She sounds really great. Hearing my aunt now in terms of how clear she is, how focused she is on the importance of family and reality in terms of dealing with and understanding where she is physically, mentally and emotionally, it’s like a 180,” Alex said.

“I don’t know what works, but I know that when she spoke to me, she was a very different person than what we see in that documentary,” Wanda said.

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Wanda said her family feared her condition would worsen.

“There have been times over the last year when everyone in this family has wondered if that was the calling [that she was dead] was going to come in the middle of the night,” she told PEOPLE. “Everybody in this family was on pins and needles every night with cell phones right next to the bed.”

Alex told PEOPLE she’s glad the Williams documentary brought her voice back.

“I’m proud of my aunt for taking control of her story because my aunt has always been a public person and she’s been an open book and we’ve all seen the pictures over the last few months and really a few years of what’s been a spiral for my aunt, ” Alex said. “So for her to put her voice out here and take ownership of what happened, where she’s at right now … I think that’s powerful.”

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Where is Wendy Williams? premieres Saturday at 8pm and ends at the same time the next day on Lifetime.

Wendy Williams cries as she talks about on-air collapse: ‘It was really scary’

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