‘Wendy Williams Show’ officially cancelled

THE Wendy Williams Show – which has aired since 2008 – will end in June because of host Wendy’s long running health battles and will be replaced by a new show fronted by Sherri Shepherd, who has stood in for Wendy on several occasions.

In a statement, producers said: “Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making this transition now.

“Like our viewers, we have been impressed by the unique comedic twist Sherri puts on our daily live ‘Hot Topics’ segment, her creativity and interactions with our guests. Her love for the content and daytime fans is obvious, and we are excited to partner with her to create another long-term talk franchise.”

The 57-year-old former DJ has been struggling with autoimmune disorder Graves disease – which causes problems with the thyroid – and has not been seen on her own show since last July, with the show being fronted by stars including Sherri, Michael Rapaport, Fat Joe and Bevy Smith in the meantime.

Wendy’s rep Howard Bragman said that while it has been a “challenging” time for the star, she “understands” the decision.