The Truth About Wendy Williams' Health Struggles

Wendy Williams has been forced to cancel all of her forthcoming public appearances due to her health. In a social media statement shared on Sept. 9, 2021, the official "Wendy Williams Show" Instagram account uploaded a post that read, "Wendy is dealing with some ongoing health issues and is undergoing further evaluations. She will not be able to complete her promotional activities next week, but can't wait to be back in her purple chair Monday, September 20th for the 13th season premiere."

According to People, this isn't the first time Williams has been forced to take a break due to ill health. In May 2020, the talk show host took time off from "The Wendy Williams Show" due to health issues surrounding her Graves' disease. Speaking to the publication at the time, a spokesperson for her talk show explained that Williams had been "dealing with symptoms from her Graves' disease, which is causing fatigue."

Per USA Today, Wendy Williams first went public with her Graves' disease diagnosis back in 2018. The condition leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones and includes a wide range of symptoms that can affect a person's overall health. Addressing her diagnosis on her talk show at the time, Williams explained that "Graves' disease squeezes the muscles behind the eyeballs," and revealed that some viewers had noticed her eye issues before she had. 

Speaking to People in 2018, a representative for "The Wendy Williams Show" provided further details of her ongoing health struggles. "Wendy is a true champion and has never missed a day of work. But her health and well-being must be put before all else... Wendy has been openly dealing with her Graves' Disease for many years in addition to hyperthyroidism."

In 2019, Williams also revealed that she had been diagnosed with lymphedema. Per the Metro, the long-term chronic condition causes swelling in a person's body tissue and can affect any part of the body, but it tends to occur in the arms and legs. In 2021, Williams provided fans with an update of her battle with the condition, writing on Instagram, "My Dr Laure is the French lady who's helping me live with lymphedema. She scrubs & understands my disease is not curable only manageable."