Wendy Williams diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Former talk show host Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia, according to her healthcare team.

Williams, 59, stepped away from “The Wendy Williams Show” in 2022 due to her ongoing health issues, including Graves’ disease and lymphedema.

Her team put out a news release Thursday, aiming “to correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health.” This comes after a source told PEOPLE that Williams was receiving care in a facility.

The release said Williams’ health challenges are evolving, but she can do many things for herself and remains in good spirits with “her trademark sense of humor.”

In 2023, Williams was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Actor Bruce Willis received the same diagnosis in 2022.

Aphasia is a condition that affects communication and language, according to the National Institutes of Health. Williams’ team said frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive function, “presents significant hurdles” in her life.

Williams sought medical help when she “began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,” according to her team. Her loved ones made the difficult decision to share the diagnosis “not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy,” but to raise awareness about those conditions.

“Unfortunately, many individuals diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, particularly when they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis,” the release said.

Her team hopes that with education about cognitive conditions, and less stigma, people will seek medical help before their condition progresses, like Williams did.

A new two-part documentary, “Where is Wendy Williams?” follows her journey since stepping away from public life. It is set to air on Lifetime on Feb. 24 and 25.