Recent court documents reveal that once Wendy Williams couldn’t host her nationally syndicated TV show due to health reasons during its 2021–2022 season, her $10 million annual salary, or $55,000 an episode, was cut off.
In a court filing obtained by The U.S. Sun, Williams agreed she would distribute monthly payments to her former husband, Kevin Hunter, who was also her business partner while married, following their divorce.
He’s now demanding to get the money, but the celebrity gossip host’s attorney filed a notion that stated she hasn’t had income from The Wendy Williams Show since last October.
“On October 15, 2021 plaintiff was informed by Talk WW that her contract was being suspended and that no compensation shall accrue or be payable to plaintiff for the duration of plaintiff’s disability and incapacity,” her attorney wrote.
In addition, the 52-year-old’s lawyer quoted the settlement agreement that she and her Hunter made in January 2020.
“If, for any reason, [Plaintiffs] contract with Talk WW is not renewed and/or is otherwise suspended, canceled, or terminated and [Plaintiff] does not have any other television show being aired and paying her an equivalent salary, [Defendant] understands and agrees that all Severance Payment shall be subject to either termination or modification,” the former talk show host’s attorney said.
Since Williams stopped hosting her show in September, her attorney reimplemented that she hadn’t been paid in over a year and that “she presently has no other television show being aired and paying her any income, let alone an equivalent salary.”
Her absence from the show began in September, the beginning of the fall 2021 season, and just a few days later she was hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation. And earlier this year, in January, it was reported that Wells Fargo froze her accounts due to her allegedly not being mentally stable. Following this decision, the former radio personality was forced to enter a financial conservatorship.
Because there was concern about William’s mental health and alleged alcoholism following the divorce, she went to rehab for two months in a Malibu, California, to treat “severe alcoholism.”
The former radio personality denied having issues with alcohol and said she was living a sober lifestyle, although there were several times she was allegedly intoxicated in public.
After being absent the entire 2021–2022 season, The Wendy Williams Show‘s production company, Debmar-Mercury, made a public announcement that the popular talk hour would come to an end in June. To replace the show, the Fox network offered actress Sherri Shepherd the time slot for her new morning show.
Since the radio hall of famer’s accounts have been frozen and she was placed on financial guardianship, she currently receives no income. Williams announced on Instagram in July she would be launching a podcast that would debut soon.