Wendy Williams Diagnosed With Dementia & Aphasia As Her Guardian Seeks To Stop Documentary’s Release

Former talk show host Wendy Williams‘ guardian, cited in media reports as Sabrina Morrissey, has filed a lawsuit against A&E Television Networks, the parent company of Lifetime.

The new lawsuit is an attempt to stop the airing of the upcoming documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, comes just days before the premiere of Lifetime’s documentary about Williams’ life after her talk show.

A hearing date has been scheduled for next week to determine whether the sealed documents should remain confidential. Both Morrissey and A&E have declined to comment on the matter.

The executive producer of the documentary, Mark Ford, confirmed that Williams’ attorneys, as well as the guardianship attorneys, were consulted and approved the project. He stated that all necessary permissions were obtained from Williams, her management, her attorneys and the guardianship.

However, as the film progressed, the filmmakers discovered a different truth about Williams’ situation, which compelled them to alter the direction of the film accordingly.

In the documentary, Williams accuses her guardian, whose identity remains undisclosed in the film, embezzled money from her. However, filmmakers assert that she did not provide evidence to support her claims.

Originally intended to document Williams’ comeback and the launch of her new podcast, the documentary took an unexpected turn when the crew captured her struggles with alcohol addiction and health issues such as Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder, and lymphedema, a condition causing foot swelling.

The filming concluded in April 2023 when Williams entered a facility to address what her family was informed were “cognitive issues.” In the documentary, her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., discloses a diagnosis of alcohol-induced dementia, as relayed by doctors in Florida.

Recently, Williams’ care team announced that she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The family claims they were unaware of these conditions until last year. The press release emphasizes the significant hurdles these conditions have presented in Williams’ life, but also highlights her sense of humor and the care she has received.

Williams currently resides in the facility and can initiate calls to her family, but they cannot visit her in person.