Wendy Williams’ journey through fame, fortune, and financial turmoil is nothing short of a Hollywood saga—except it’s all real. At the height of her career, Williams was worth an estimated $40 million, an amount she amassed through years of relentless hustle in radio and television.
She was the unapologetic queen of daytime talk, commanding a $10 million annual salary from her eponymous show, which ran from 2008 to 2022. With an average of 180 episodes per season, she was banking around $55,000 per episode—talk about daytime dominance. Yet, by 2025, that massive fortune had dwindled to an estimated $5 million. What happened?
Why Is Wendy Williams’ Net Worth Only $5 Million in 2024/2025?
Williams first made waves in radio, gaining a reputation as a fearless “shock jock” at New York stations like WBLS, where she hosted The Wendy Williams Experience from 2001 to 2009. She interviewed everyone from Lisa Rinna to Snoop Dogg and wasn’t afraid to ask the tough—or scandalous—questions. When she transitioned to TV, she took that same unfiltered approach, and it paid off. The Wendy Williams Show became a cultural phenomenon, syndicated in 52 countries and running for 13 seasons. But behind the scenes, things were unraveling.
In 2022, health issues began interfering with her ability to work. Williams, who had long battled Graves’ disease and lymphedema, took extended absences from her show. Eventually, producers had to make a tough call. “Other than her health, she could have continued to keep doing it as long as she wanted,” said Mort Marcus, co-president of Debmar-Mercury, the company that syndicated the show.
“We were protecting the business while we waited for her.” But the waiting game ended. The Wendy Williams Show was canceled, and with it, her primary source of income vanished. Even more concerning, her financial affairs were placed under court-ordered guardianship in 2022 after Wells Fargo froze her accounts, citing concerns about her mental capacity.
THIS FRIDAY: Once a queen of daytime, now Wendy Williams is living under guardianship in an assisted living facility — she’ll join #TheView co-hosts to set the record straight with something she wants to share. pic.twitter.com/vVhlTyqtiW
— The View (@TheView) March 11, 2025
The financial downturn was rapid and brutal. In 2024, Williams revealed in the Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? that she had “no money.” In one shocking moment from the trailer, she stated, “If it happens to me, it could happen to you.” Her struggles weren’t just financial; they were deeply personal. In February 2024, her team announced that she had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia, conditions that explained years of erratic behavior and public struggles.
By November 2024, court documents described her as “cognitively impaired, permanently disabled, and incapacitated.” Yet, Williams pushed back against this narrative, claiming in January 2025 on The Breakfast Club, “I am not cognitively impaired. But I feel like I’m in prison.”
Her guardianship battle became a headline-grabbing legal fight. She executed an affidavit in February 2025 requesting the removal of her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, and sought an independent medical evaluation to challenge the dementia diagnosis. Her allegations of mistreatment were alarming. She claimed she was living in a facility where she had no access to her own finances and couldn’t even buy a proper hairbrush without approval. “I have $15,” she lamented. “My money is in prison.”
Meanwhile, accusations surfaced about financial mismanagement by those closest to her. Reports suggested her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., had spent extravagantly, including a $113,000 yacht party, further complicating her financial recovery.
Wendy Williams taken away by ambulance after dropping a note from her window, pleading for help.
Williams, 60, who is not allowed to go outside, was put in an assisted living facility by family.pic.twitter.com/TnSmlDPO4p
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) March 11, 2025
Williams’ financial woes were compounded by the fact that her income had been cut off. A court filing revealed that she had stopped receiving payments from The Wendy Williams Show in October 2021 due to her disability. Unlike other high-profile TV personalities who continue earning from syndication deals, Williams’ financial flow seemingly came to a standstill. With medical expenses piling up—dementia care alone can cost tens of thousands per year—her remaining assets are likely being drained rapidly, driving her $5 million net worth into further decline.
Despite everything, Williams continues to fight. Her public pleas for freedom have gained traction, with fans rallying behind her using hashtags like #FreeWendy. In March 2025, she made headlines again when NYPD officers responded to a wellness check at her assisted living facility after she reportedly threw a note out of her window reading, “Help! Wendy!!” She was taken to a hospital for evaluation, sparking renewed concern over her well-being and the legitimacy of her guardianship.
