Wendy Williams likely won't return with a talk show until late 2023, production source says

Wendy Williams promised fans that she is nearly ready for her big TV return after months of speculation regarding her physical and mental wellbeing — however, a source close to The Wendy Williams Show distributor Debmar-Mercury tells EW a return isn't possible in the near future.

After the 57-year-old told Good Morning America Thursday that she's "comfortable" and "ready" to begin working again — weeks after it was announced that former View cohost Sherri Shepherd would inherit the media queen's time slot with her own talk series following The Wendy Williams Show's planned conclusion later in 2022 — the source tells us that the earliest Williams would realistically be able to front a live daily show would be September 2023. Most of The Wendy Williams Show's staff is committed to the Sherri show, which will inherit Williams' daytime slot in the syndication schedule. The source tells us that the syndication company is, however, committed to helping Williams with a show if and when they feel she's ready to return in a realistic time frame.

When asked how the host would respond to the source's comments, Williams' representative, Howard Bragman, wrote: "she doesn't."

"[My] health is very well and I've actually had a few appointments. I'm 57 now, and I have the mind and body of a 25-year-old," Williams told GMA's T.J. Holmes after months of dealing with personal issues related to Graves' disease and her thyroid, later adding: "I'm very comfortable. My partners with the show, everybody's ready. Give me about three months. There are private things that I have to deal with and then I'll be ready to come back and be free and ready to do my thing."

She also broke from her discussion with Holmes to address her fans directly during the discussion.

"This is what I would love to say to my Wendy watchers: Keep watching, because I'm going to be back on the Wendy show bigger and brighter than ever."

Representatives for Debmar-Mercury, which distributes The Wendy Williams Show, previously said they hoped to work with Williams "again in the future."

"This is also a bitter-sweet moment for us and our partners at FOX," they said in a Feb. 22 statement announcing the debut of Shepherd's new show, Sherri. "We all have a great love and affinity for Wendy, who grew into a true icon during her 12 incredible seasons as the solo host of a live, daily talk show dishing on 'Hot Topics' and interviewing celebrities. 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. We hope to be able to work with Wendy again in the future, and continue to wish her a speedy and full recovery."

Holmes also pressed Williams on her current legal battle with Wells Fargo, the bank that reportedly froze her accounts in a move she said blocked her from being able to make mortgage payments and keep up with her employee payroll. According to court filings obtained by PEOPLE, EW's sister publication, Williams alleged that the bank operated under the impression that she "was of unsound mind."

PEOPLE reported that the bank's court filings indicated it froze millions of dollars in Williams' funds because it had "strong reason to believe that [Williams] is the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation."

"They say anything, including something crazy like that, about me," Williams told GMA of the claim. "They're saying that I need somebody to handle my accounts and I don't want that. I want all my money. I want to see all my money that I've worked hard for my entire life. I don't lie, I don't cheat, and I don't steal. I'm an honest, hard-working person."

Representatives for Wells Fargo did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment on Williams' GMA interview. Watch the full clip here.

Hear more on all of today's must-see picks, plus Gordon Ramsay on the new season of MasterChef Junior, in EW's What to Watch podcast, hosted by Gerrad Hall.

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