Wendy Williams taking time off from talk show due to medical issue

Wendy Williams, who has suffered health issues in recent years necessitating time off from her syndicated daytime talk show, is putting her program's at-home version on hold due to a flare-up of her Graves' disease.

"Recently, Wendy has been dealing with symptoms from her Graves' disease, which is causing her fatigue," the show said on its social media Monday evening, referring to the thyroid autoimmune malady that caused a three-week hiatus in February and March 2018, and another for more than two months from late 2018 to early 2019.

"In consultation with her doctor and as a precautionary measure, she will be taking some time off as she continues to receive treatment," the statement continued. "We look forward to welcoming Wendy back soon and continuing the Wendy @Home show. More updates on a return date will follow."

Williams, 55, has been doing the show from her New York City apartment, with guests and segments appearing via remote video, and with clips from past shows, such as Tuesday's interview with Wyandanch rapper Rakim from Sept. 16, 2019. Reruns will air while Williams recovers.

In February 2018, explaining her upcoming medical leave for Graves' disease, also called autoimmune hyperthyroidism, Williams said, "I go twice a year to my endocrinologist" because "my thyroid has been totally cattywampus. ..." At the time the condition resulted in the muscles behind her eyeballs being squeezed, leading viewers to note her eyes looking different on air, and she also suffered weight loss, trouble sleeping, difficulty swallowing, rapid heartbeat and intolerance to heat, she said.

Williams collapsed on live TV in late October 2017 due to dehydration and being overheated in a Halloween costume. She also took three days off in early 2018 for what she called a "bug." Adding to her difficulties, Williams in July 2019 announced that she had been diagnosed with lymphedema, an incurable but manageable disease that typically causes arms or legs to swell.

The talk show host revealed on her program in March 2019 that she had been living in a sober home for an unspecified amount of time and was in treatment for addiction. Although she did not detail the nature of her addiction, according to reports, she said at the time that she had previously fought a cocaine addiction. Williams told her audience at the time that she did not know how she stopped using the drug, "except God was just sitting on my shoulder and I just stopped."