Former talk show host Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, her team said in a statement Thursday.
She was diagnosed last year after undergoing several medical tests. Her team said the conditions have “presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.”
“Wendy would not have received confirmation of these diagnoses were it not for the diligence of her current care team, who she chose, and the extraordinary work of the specialists at Weill Cornell Medicine. Receiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires,” Williams’ team said in a news release.
Primary progressive aphasia is a nervous system syndrome that affects a person’s ability to communicate, according to the Mayo Clinic. People who have it often have trouble expressing their thoughts and can lose their ability to speak and write. Symptoms typically begin before the age of 65.
Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, refers to a group of diseases that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, the Mayo Clinic said. It is usually associated with behavioral and personality changes and difficulty with language.
Actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, which progressed to frontotemporal dementia.
Williams, 59, has previously opened up about her battles with lymphedema and Graves’ disease. In 2017, she fainted in the middle of a Halloween episode of “The Wendy Williams Show,” but recovered and finished the episode. A year later, she announced that she was taking a three-week break following her Graves’ disease diagnosis.
In 2022, amid ongoing health battles, it was announced that the show was ending.
Her team said the decision to share her latest health issues was “difficult and made after careful consideration.” They said she is still able to “do many things for herself” and is receiving treatment.
“Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed,” the release stated. “She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.”
The news comes days ahead of the Lifetime premiere of “Where is Wendy Williams?,” a two-part documentary about her physical and mental health. It airs Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 on Lifetime.
CORRECTION (Feb. 22, 2024, 4:35 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated in a subheadline when Bruce Willis was diagnosed with aphasia. It was 2022, not 2023.
