Wendy Williams’ ongoing battle with early onset dementia has advanced, according to her court-appointed guardian.
In new documents obtained by PEOPLE, Sabrina E. Morrissey, the former talk show host’s court-appointed guardian, claimed Williams has become “cognitively impaired, permanently disabled and legally incompetent.”
The update on Williams’ health comes amid Morrissey’s ongoing legal battle with A&E Television Networks, Lifetime Entertainment and other affiliates involved in the release Where is Wendy Williams?documentary series about guardianship of television personalities, health diagnoses and life after them The Wendy Williams Show.
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Lifetime’s biggest bombshells Where is Wendy Williams? A documentary that is currently in court
“This case stems from the brutally calculated, deliberate actions of powerful and cunningly opportunistic media companies working alongside the producer to knowingly exploit [Williams]” the documents read, referring to her diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. “FTD is a progressive disease, meaning there is no cure and the symptoms only get worse over time.”
The complaint alleges that the media companies behind the series “filmed without a valid contract and broadcast without the consent of the Guardian”. It also claims that Williams was in a “very vulnerable” state and was “obviously incapable of consenting to being filmed, let alone being humiliated and exploited.”
Morrissey is asking the court to grant “narrowly applied redactions” of certain parts of the ongoing lawsuit involving her “health, family relationships and finances” to protect the TV presenter’s “privacy and dignity”.
Wendy Williams. Getty Images Wendy Williams’ family say they are still ‘out of touch’ but ‘rooting’ for her as she marks her 60th birthday: Source
Williams’ court-ordered guardianship began in April 2022 following Williams’ ongoing health problems with Graves’ disease, lymphedema and alcohol abuse. She was later placed in a care facility, with allegedly limited contact with her family.
In February, Williams’ medical care team revealed that the 60-year-old television personality had been diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). According to a press release at the time, she was diagnosed in 2023, and her medical team said the conditions “already posed significant obstacles in Wendy’s life.”
“Wendy can still do many things for herself,” the team said in a statement. “Most importantly, she maintains her trademark sense of humor and receives the care she needs to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed. She is grateful for the many kind thoughts and good wishes that have been sent to her.”
Wendy Williams on ‘Where’s Wendy Williams?’.
Lifetime
Williams spoke out in a statement to PEOPLE later that day, saying she was “extremely grateful for the love and kind words I received after sharing my diagnosis.”
“Let me just say, wow! Your response was overwhelming. The messages shared with me touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion,” she said. “I hope others with FTD can benefit from my story… I still need personal space and peace to thrive. Just know that your positivity and encouragement is deeply appreciated.”
Wendy Williams spotted in public for the first time in a year
The same day her diagnosis was announced, Morrissey filed a lawsuit against Lifetime’s parent company, A&E Television Networks, seeking to stop the documentary from airing. An appeals court ultimately rejected that attempt, after which Lifetime confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE that “the documentary Where is Wendy Williams? will air this weekend as scheduled.”
Around that time, Williams’ sister, Wanda Finnie, told PEOPLE that she was unaware of Williams’ diagnosis after she was hospitalized for cognitive issues. Finnie said the family had not received information about Williams’ diagnosis since the fall of 2021, when the star was staying in Florida with family.
Wendy Williams.
Calvin Gayle
The family also stated that Morrissey is the only person who currently has unfettered access to her.
“How did she go from this aunt or sister that we love and is healthy one minute to this person who is in and out of the hospital?” Finnie asked. “How is that system better than the system that the family could put in place? I don’t know. I know this system is broken. I hope that at some point Wendy becomes strong enough to speak for herself.”
Morrissey has not commented on the family’s allegations, despite multiple requests for comment from PEOPLE.
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Williams was first seen with her son Kevin Hunt Jr. in August. — which she shares with ex-husband Kevin Hunter — at the holistic store Bolingo Balance in Newark, NJ
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