LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥 Former talk show host Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with the same form of dementia that actor Bruce Willis has, a statement released Thursday on behalf of her caretakers says.
The statement said the 59-year-old's diagnoses of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia 鈥渉ave already presented significant hurdles in Wendy鈥檚 life鈥 and have behavioral and cognitive impacts.
鈥淲endy is still able to do many things for herself. 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. She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way,鈥 the statement attributed to her care team said.
The statement on Williams鈥 health was issued on PR Newswire. A representative listed on the release, Jennifer Hanley, referred questions back to the statement when contacted by The Associated Press.
The announcement came a day after a quoted Williams鈥 family about the nature of her struggles, ahead of a Lifetime documentary set to air Saturday.
鈥淭he people who love her cannot see her,鈥 People quoted Williams鈥 sister Wanda as saying. 鈥淚 think the big (question) is: How the hell did we get here?鈥 The family said a court-appointed legal guardian was the only person with unfettered access to Williams.
The article said the Lifetime documentary crew, which set out in 2022 to chronicle Williams鈥 comeback, stopped filming in April 2023 when, her manager 鈥渁nd jeweler鈥 Will Selby says in footage for the film, she entered a facility to treat 鈥渃ognitive issues.鈥 Her son says in the documentary that doctors had connected her cognitive issues to alcohol use, People reported.
Her family told People they don鈥檛 know where she is and cannot call her themselves, but she can call them.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration describes FTD as a group of brain disorders caused by degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain that affects behavior, language and movement. Aphasia, a brain disorder that can lead to problems speaking or understanding words, can be a symptom of it. The association describes frontotemporal degeneration as 鈥渁n inevitable decline in functioning,鈥 with an average life expectancy of seven to 13 years after the onset of symptoms.
FTD usually occurs in people in their 40s, 50s and early 60s. It , causing a loss of inhibition or inappropriate behavior. It is sometimes mistaken for depression or bipolar disorder, and can take years to diagnose.
There are no treatments to slow or stop the disease, but some interventions can help .
The association was involved in the disclosure of Willis' diagnosis in February 2023, hosting a statement posted by the actor's family.
鈥淲e thank Wendy Williams for having the courage to make her diagnosis public and raise awareness of the disease,鈥 association CEO Susan Dickinson said in a statement. 鈥溾漌e know that a diagnosis like this can be heartbreaking, but she is not alone. While there may not be a cure, every day we are working to improve care and research into treatments for this disease.鈥
Thursday's statement credited Weill Cornell Medicine in New York with the care and expertise Williams received. Weill Cornell declined comment.
Williams rose to fame in part due to her no-boundaries approach to her life, which included sharing personal details about her health, plastic surgery and cocaine addiction 鈥 the subject of her 2003 memoir, 鈥淲endy's Got the Heat.鈥
A hallmark of 鈥淭he Wendy Williams Show,鈥 which competed for viewers with Ellen DeGeneres' show, was her signature phrase, 鈥淗ow you doin鈥?" She transitioned to television after a successful career as a radio host, known for her hot takes on gossip and skewering of celebrities, including a contentious 2003 interview with Whitney Houston.
In 2022, Williams' self-titled daytime talk show ended because of her ongoing health issues. Sherri Shepherd, who filled in for Williams as a guest host, received her own show.
Williams said in 2018 that she had been diagnosed years before with Graves鈥 disease, which leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones and can cause wide-ranging symptoms and affect overall health.
