This came as a surprise to many of her fans, since she had previously been outspoken about not wanting to get vaccinated. In an Instagram statement, it was announced that Williams had tested positive for a “breakthrough case” of Covid-19.

Season 13 was scheduled to begin on September 20, then was suddenly pushed back to October 4.

According to Debmar-Mercury, which syndicates the show, Shepherd was the most popular substitute for Williams during her stint as a guest host, and was able to maintain the show’s ratings. This fall, the new daytime show Sherri will take over Williams’s typical time slot. It was unclear when Williams would return, if at all, but it now seems that she is being permanently replaced by previous guest host and former co-host of The View, Sherri Shepherd. After many delays due to medical complications from Williams’s ongoing thyroid condition and a Covid-19 infection, guest hosts and panelists such as Michael Rappaport and Kym Whitley occupied Williams’s seat. But The Wendy Williams Show kicked off its 13th season this past October without Williams as its host. The 57-year-old host has been rattling off her opinions into millions of American living rooms since 2008. Imagine what those medieval haters would think about Wendy Williams. Centuries ago, those accused of gossip, primarily women, were locked into metal headpieces that restrained the mouth.

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