Suzanne Bass feels 'sad' as she is worried about Wendy Williams and loses hope for her to revive her television show now that she is battling aphasia and dementia.
- Feb 26, 2024
AceShowbiz - "The Wendy Williams Show" producer Suzanne Bass has lost "every glimmer of hope" that the show will return. After presenter Williams' care team confirmed this week that she has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, her former producer Bass admitted she doesn't see any way for Wendy to make a comeback.
"Since Wendy's been off the air, there's been a huge void in both daytime TV and pop culture. I think there's always been a glimmer of hope for a comeback for her, but since this diagnosis, that seems impossible. It makes me very sad," she told PEOPLE.
"I do know it takes time to diagnose conditions like this. I'm saddened by it all. Because people are constantly saying, 'Wouldn't it be great if Wendy makes a comeback?' I'm more sad about her health, not that she can't make a comeback. To have this sort of diagnosis, there's some finality to it."
And, Bass says that looking back, there were signs that all was not well with Wendy, 59. She said, "You can go back and see the show, and there's really long periods of quietness where she's not speaking."
"And you're thinking 'What's happening? There were early signs [of something wrong] where you're grasping for words, having a hard time collecting your thoughts and remembering things. Maybe that's what was happening back then.' "
"The last few times I spoke with Wendy, I remember thinking that she reminded me of my mom. My mom has Alzheimer's. Dementia is a form of it in her case. I just remember calling my brother and saying, 'Oh my God. I just talked to Wendy. She reminds me of Mom.' "
When announcing her aphasia and dementia diagnoses recently, Wendy's team said that the issues have "already presented significant hurdles in Wendy's life." The care team said in a statement, "In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia."
"Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy's life."
"Wendy would not have received confirmation of these diagnoses were it not for the diligence of her current care team, who she chose, and the extraordinary work of the specialists at Weill Cornell Medicine. Receiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires."
