Wendy Williams gets same diagnosis as Bruce Willis: frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia

While the former syndicated talk show host of The Wendy Williams Show has been open with fans about living with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that can cause an overactive thyroid, and lymphedema, the buildup of fluid in soft body tissues, Williams’ latest diagnoses come on the heels of “inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health,” her representatives said in a statement.

“Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information,” the statement read. “Many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions.”

The news release calls for more empathy for people with aphasia and dementia, who particularly face stigma ahead of a diagnosis. Actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with aphasia in 2022 and FTD in 2023.

Williams’s team didn’t specify when in 2023 she received these diagnoses, but applauded the work of specialists at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

“Wendy is still able to do many things for herself,” the statement read. “Most importantly, she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed.” 

News of Williams’s condition comes two days before the premiere of Where Is Wendy Williams? on Lifetime. The four-episode series is scheduled to air Feb. 24–25 and includes coverage of her mental and physical health issues.

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What is frontotemporal dementia?

FTD is a progressive disorder caused by damaged…