Wendy Williams’ Net Worth Proves If She Has ‘No Money’ After Her Show’s Cancelation
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Known for her bold personality and unfiltered commentary, Wendy Williams has always stood out as one of daytime television’s most popular voices. But with the days of hosting her talk show now behind her, many are wondering what Wendy Williams’ net worth looks like today.
Born on July 18, 1964, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Wendy Joan Williams Hunter grew up with an innate flair for the spotlight. Her journey to fame began in the radio industry, where she honed her skills as a shock jock and quickly gained a loyal following for her fearless approach to addressing controversial topics. Her initial breakthrough came with the launch of The Wendy Williams Experience, her nationally syndicated radio show. But it was her transition to daytime television that really turned her into a household name.
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The Wendy Williams Show made its debut in 2008, marking the dawn of a new era in daytime TV. With her signature catchphrases—how you doin’—and candid interviews, Williams solidified her status as the reigning queen of talk. Beyond her on-screen persona, Williams also delved into various entrepreneurial ventures throughout the years, including authoring several books and launching her own fashion line.
Despite her professional successes, Williams’ personal life has been marked by challenges involving health issues and publicized struggles with addiction. In 2022, her talk show was canceled due to her ongoing health struggles. Since then, the longtime host has lived out of the public eye, leading to many questions for her fans—including those about her finances.
For everything we know about Wendy Williams’ net worth—along with details about how much she earned from The Wendy Williams Show and where Wendy Williams is today—keep on reading below.
What is Wendy Williams’ net worth?
As of 2024, Celebrity Net Worth reports that Wendy Williams’ net worth is $500,000. This figure may come as a surprise to some, especially considering that the longtime television star’s previously reported net worth was $20 million in 2023. So, what happened to Wendy Williams’ net worth?
Wendy Williams’ net worth, which stemmed primarily from her tenure as the host of The Wendy Williams Show, appears to have dwindled following the cancelation of her longtime talk show in 2022. Recent revelations from Williams herself paint a shocking picture of her current finances. In a teaser for her 2024 Lifetime documentary series, Where Is Wendy Williams, the former radio personality candidly claimed that she has “no money” after her bank accounts were frozen in February 2022.
At the time, Williams’ former financial adviser told her bank that she was of “unsound mind,” according to court filings. Not long after Wells Fargo froze her accounts, the bank petitioned a New York court to place the talk show host under a financial guardianship, citing risks of “financial exploitation, dementia, or undue influence.” Their request was approved, and Williams was appointed an unnamed financial guardian.
“I have no money, and I’m gonna tell you something,” Williams says in the trailer for the four-part docuseries. “If it happens to me, it could happen to you.” Her claim offers just a glimpse into the complexities of her financial situation and continues to raise some major questions about the true extent of her access to her wealth today. For now, Williams continues to live under a court-appointed guardian, who remains in charge of her financial affairs.
How much did Wendy Williams get paid for The Wendy Williams Show?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Wendy Williams’ salary for The Wendy Williams Show was $10 million per year, which worked out to around $55,000 per episode.
While the talk show was officially canceled in February 2022, the celebrity gossip host stopped hosting the show in September 2021. At the time, Williams was taking medical leave linked to her ongoing struggles with Graves disease, an autoimmune disorder which she was diagnosed with in 2018.
In December 2022, the talk show host’s then-attorney filed a motion stating she hadn’t received any income from The Wendy Williams Show during her medical leave. “On October 15, 2021 plaintiff was informed by Talk WW that her contract was being suspended and that no compensation shall accrue or be payable to plaintiff for the duration of plaintiff’s disability and incapacity,” her attorney wrote in a court filing.
Her attorney went on to note that she had “no other television show being aired and paying her any income, let alone an equivalent salary.” It is unclear what Wendy Williams’ salary is now as of 2024, let alone if she receives any kind of allowance under the terms of her financial guardianship.
Where is Wendy Williams today?
As of February 2024, Wendy Williams continues to live under a legal guardianship and is residing in a facility to treat ongoing cognitive issues. On February 22, 2024, Williams’ medical team released a statement identifying these issues, revealing that the beloved talk show host had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia.
“As Wendy’s fans are aware, in the past she has been open with the public about her medical struggles with Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema as well as other significant challenges related to her health,” the statement began. “In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).”
The statement continued, “Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.”
Her medical team also noted, however, that Williams still has her “trademark sense of humor” and continues to “do many things for herself” as she continues to seek the care and treatment she needs.
According to People, Williams’ family is unable to reach out to her at her treatment facility, but the former talk show host calls them occasionally to check in. “I spoke with her yesterday and I speak with her very regularly when she reaches out to me. She is, from what I understand, in a wellness, healing type of environment,” said Williams’ sister, Wanda Finnie.
“We cannot reach out to her, but she can reach out to us. And she is in a healing place emotionally. She’s not the person that you see in this film,” Finnie added, referring to the Lifetime docuseries, Where Is Wendy Williams? “I don’t know what is working, but I do know that when she did reach out to me, it was a person who is remarkably different than what we see in that documentary,” she shared.
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