Wendy Williams has been seen for the first time in over a year, as she prepares to open up about her personal struggles in a new Lifetime documentary.
The TV star, 59, has appeared in the first trailer for her upcoming special, over two years after leaving her chat show, citing health problems.
The documentary, which will be released on Lifetime in the US as a two-night event, will follow Wendy as her health continued to decline.
While the trailer offered a glimpse at the special, it was deleted just minutes after being posted on social media.
In the trailer, obtained by The Sun, Wendy broke down in tears as she struggled with both mental and physical illness after her talk show came to an end.
Wendy Williams has been for the first time in over a year, as she prepares to open up about her personal struggles in a new Lifetime documentary
The TV star has appeared in the first trailer for her upcoming special, over two years after leaving her chat show, citing health problems
The veteran TV star was last seen in public in February 2023 (pictured)
‘Since I was six years old, all I wanted was to be famous,’ she told the cameras, as footage ran showing the radio host at the peak of her career.
The documentary included a glimpse of Wendy back in her presenting heyday, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
However, it then cut to show Wendy in the present day, the first time she’s been seen publicly in over a year.
It showed Wendy’s son Kevin Hunter Jr., who told the camera she’s ‘done a really good job at making it seem like everything’s OK, but in reality, there’s something wrong going on.’
Footage showed a frail Wendy in the backseat of a car, with the producer asking her: ‘Have you seen a neurologist?’ and she replied, ‘To see if I’m crazy? Mhm.’
Clips showed the star struggling to even stand without assistance, while a male family member said: ‘She was put in front of a judge and given a guardian. That was when they took her away from us.’
Speaking directly to the camera, Wendy then said: ‘I have no money. And let me tell you something, if it happens to me, it can happen to you.’
Another scene in the trailer showed one of Wendy’s loved ones asking if she drank an entire bottle of vodka ‘today.’
In the trailer, Wendy broke down in tears as she struggled with both mental and physical illness after her talk show came to an end
Footage showed a frail Wendy in the backseat of a car, with the producer asking her: ‘Have you seen a neurologist?’ and she replied, ‘To see if I’m crazy? Mhm’
Intercut with scenes from the height of her fame, the trailer showed Wendy’s family cliaming she seemed to be ‘losing memory’
Speaking directly to the camera, Wendy then said: ‘I have no money. And let me tell you something, if it happens to me, it can happen to you’
She then snapped at the man to ‘keep the bottle there’ while lying in bed.
Kevin Jnr asserted that Wendy is still planning to ‘return to TV,’ despite believe his mother has ‘worked enough’ in her career.
Wendy’s family also claimed that she seemed to be ‘losing memory,’ after the star admitted she ‘didn’t know’ where she was while driving around New York, where she has lived for years.
In a conversation with her niece Alex Finnie, she told the host that there have been ‘random people around,’ to which Wendy added, ‘Stealing money from me.’
Wendy has not been seen publicly for over a year, however back in March she was seen drinking during a raucous night out in NYC – five months after leaving rehab.
She went club-hopping in Manhattan where she visited venues including Fresco by Scotto and gay bar The Townhouse, with a source telling Page Six: ‘She kept saying she wanted to get drunk tonight.’
Naughty But Nice podcast host Rob Shuter told the publication the star ‘looked lonely’ sat by herself but then ‘lit up like a Christmas tree to see someone she knew.’
Talking about their meeting on his podcast, he said: ‘We had a bite, we had some drinks, but then when we were getting ready to say goodbye, Wendy didn’t really want us to leave’ before allegedly suggesting going to a bar.
In October 2022 it was revealed the star was ‘home and healing’ after going back to rehab to focus on ‘health and wellness’ following a streak of erratic behavior (pictured February 2023)
![At the time, a source told Page Six that Williams' substance issues had 'gotten worse,' as 'she went from [drinking] wine to straight up vodka' (pictured in February 2023)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/02/13/80775735-13037769-image-a-17_1706880150879.jpg)
At the time, a source told Page Six that Williams’ substance issues had ‘gotten worse,’ as ‘she went from [drinking] wine to straight up vodka’ (pictured in February 2023)
A diner also told the publication: ‘She kept saying she wanted to get drunk tonight. She wasn’t hiding [her drinking]’ before claiming the star said she is moving to LA in three weeks.
The source added that Williams said: ‘She told this table that she was looking for love — and like in Sex and the City, she’s willing to f***.’
Ex Real Housewives of New Jersey star Kim DePaola greeted her at the restaurant before the group went to The Townhouse where Williams is said to have asked the doorman: ‘Do you watch ‘The Wendy Williams Show?’ I’m Wendy Willams.’
The star’s presence at the club saw her pose for photos with fans.
DailyMail.com has contacted Wendy Williams’ representative for comment.
Wendy suffers from a raft of medical issues including lymphedema and Graves’ disease, but is reportedly determined to keep her TV career going.
In October it was revealed the star was ‘home and healing’ after going back to rehab to focus on ‘health and wellness’ following a streak of erratic behavior and claims of substance abuse.
‘Wendy is excited about the road ahead and looking forward to releasing her many projects,’ the former talk show host’s publicist Shawn Zanotti said in a statement to E! News on Tuesday.
Zanotti continued: ‘She wants to say, ‘thank you to my fans for your love, support and many prayers, I am back and better than ever.”
Zanotti confirmed the previous month that Williams had entered a ‘wellness facility’ in an effort to ‘manage her overall health issues.’
She was ‘being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world,’ Zanotti told the outlet, adding that Williams was preparing ‘for a major comeback for the next level in her career with The Wendy Experience Podcast.’
No details about the facility or its location were revealed.
Williams has past been in treatment at locations in New York and Florida.
At the time, a source told Page Six that Williams’ substance issues had ‘gotten worse,’ as ‘she went from [drinking] wine to straight up vodka.’
Williams has had difficulties in controlling her drinking, to the detriment of her overall health, which one source described as ‘failing.
They added: ‘She can’t stop drinking and she needs to stop drinking; it’s just making her health worse.’
The talk show host told a photographer recently that she was ‘formerly retired’ amid reports about her comeback, Page Six reported.
Wendy ‘is working on several projects,’ her rep told the outlet, adding that she ‘is ready to get things rolling and get back to being Wendy Williams.’
Wendy suffers from a raft of medical issues including lymphedema and Graves’ disease, but is reportedly determined to keep her TV career going (pictured in August 2022)
Her publicist previously confirmed the previous month that Williams had entered a ‘wellness facility’ in an effort to ‘manage her overall health issues’
The outlet reported that her podcast called The Wendy Williams Experience was still in the works, which Shawn confirmed: ‘Yes, the podcast is still in the works.’
Wendy is focused ‘on her overall wellness’ a source previously revealed, with the star ready to get back to work.
The star told a photographer while on a grocery run that she is ‘formerly retired’ and is hoping to appear on The View and Late Night with Seth Meyers, via Page Six.
Last week, the outlet reported that Wendy was filming a project inside Manhattan restaurant Fresco by Scotto.
‘Basically it was a regular night… and then all of the sudden the Wendy Williams train arrived,’ an insider said.
‘She had a huge crew that basically turned Fresco by Scotto into a movie set… approximately 30 people in the crew. Lights, cameras, audio, producers, etc. [It] looked like a reality show.’
The upcoming project will mark Wendy’s first return to media since The Wendy Williams Show wrapped last June.
Sherri Shepherd, who filled in for the star during the final season due to the former host’s medical issues, took over the time slot with her own show, Sherri.
It remains unclear when The Wendy Williams Experience will premiere on podcast platforms.
It all comes after Wendy’s son Kevin Hunter Jr. spoke out about his concerns for his mother, from fears of her entourage taking advantage of her to her drinking.
Speaking with The Sun, Kevin described how his mother’s drinking impacts her body differently than others. His mother, who suffers from various health issues, is unable to process the alcohol the same way an average individual can, Kevin claims.
‘I know the rate that she uses alcohol isn’t like a normal person- and we’ve spoken about it. I’ve said, “This is one thing where you don’t know how to approach it normally, and that’s fine.”
‘And it’s gotten to a point where yes, it could have that effect that it might be fatal because it affects her way worse than a normal person, since it stays in her system,’ he said.
‘There are a lot of people who are very aware that there is an issue with her drinking, and how that issue may be helped, but I think these people are taking advantage of it while allowing it to play out to make it look like they aren’t causing the issue,’ he said.
Kevin also took aim at Wendy’s team, claiming they have been ‘taking advantage’ of Wendy during a time of vulnerability.
‘What’s been made more important by the people around her is that while her health may not be great, she needs to keep on earning income, and in my opinion that should not be a priority at all,’ he said.
‘And whoever has been hired, they are taking advantage of someone who needs to get better.’
In his eyes, Wendy’s inner circle have only encouraged her drinking.
‘If they aren’t providing it, they are definitely enabling a type of personality and giving her the green light to drink,’ he claimed.
Wendy’s documentary arrives on Lifetime on February 24 and 25.