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Wendy Williams Talks Graves’ Disease, Medical Leave as She Returns to Talk Show

Wendy Williams on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers‘
Wendy Williams on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers‘Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Wendy Williams is set to return to the set of her talk show on Monday, March 19, but before that happens she’s appearing on Good Morning America in her first interview since taking a three-week leave of absence due to medical issues.

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In an interview with Amy Robach set to air on Monday morning, Williams 53, says that she wasn’t managing her Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder, explaining that the condition is what led to her fainting on live TV last October.

“I had missed three doctors’ appointments with my endocrinologist,” she admitted in a clip posted by the Daily Mail. “He’s the one who handles the thyroid and the Graves.”

“Your health was at the bottom of the list?” Robach suggested.

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“Yes,” Williams replied. “I’m functioning OK, I’m feeling a little weird but I’ll get through it. And I went in February and that’s where I found, whoa, your levels are way off.”

As a result, her doctor told her that she needed to take time off to recover.

“I cried. And then I laughed,” Williams said, revealing that she told her doctor, “Are you out of your mind? It’s sweeps.”

He replied, “Do you want to be swept?”

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Williams revealed on February 21 that she was taking a break to address issues with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease.

“My doctor has prescribed — are you ready? — three weeks of vacation,” she told viewers detailing symptoms that included difficulty sleeping and irritability. “I was pissed.”

Her news came one week after she took three days off from her syndicated talks show due to flu-like symptoms.

“Wendy is a true champion and has never missed a day of work. But her health and well-being must be put before all else,” a rep for the show told Us Weekly in a statement in February. “Wendy has been openly dealing with her Graves’ disease for many years in addition to hyperthyroidism. Yesterday, Wendy’s doctor prescribed a necessary three weeks of rest to get her levels and medication in sync. The show will be in repeats during this unplanned hiatus.”

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