Wendy Williams' niece reveals her aunt struggled to comprehend her long-running talk show had been canceled: 'It took a little bit of convincing'

Wendy Williams' niece, Alex Finnie, revealed her aunt struggled to comprehend the cancellation of her long-running daytime talk show after 13 seasons in 2020. 

Following news that the 59-year-old media personality was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, Finnie recalled having to break the news to her godmother multiple times.

'I got serious, and I said, 'I want to really explain something to you so that you can get this,' Finnie told CNN of one of their talks. 'There's no more Wendy Williams Show. They decided to cancel it. After so many fabulous seasons, this curtain has come down.'' 

While trying to explain that the Williams' program was off the air, Finnie remembered her aunt telling her: 'What are you talking about? Of course, I have the show.'

Wendy Williams' niece, Alex Finnie, revealed her aunt struggled to comprehend the cancellation of her long-running daytime talk show after 20 seasons in 2020 (pictured in 2018)

'It took a little bit of convincing and conversations with the powers that be from her show for her to really understand that the show is no more,' Finnie told the outlet.

On Thursday, it was revealed after undergoing a series of medical tests that Williams had frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia in a press release. 

The diagnoses are notably the same as the ones film legend Bruce Willis received in 2022 and 2023. 

The statement noted that Williams had been diagnosed back in 2023. The talk show host, who was famous for spreading gossip — and often making her own — has reportedly been living in a treatment facility since April 2023.

Her sister, niece and brother recently revealed that they did not know where Williams — who can only be visited by a court-appointed guardian — has been staying, and they can allegedly only speak to her via phone if she chooses to call them first.

Williams has previously shared her battles with the autoimmune disorder Graves' disease and Lymphedema, a build-up of fluid in the tissues that can lead to swelling of the legs — which the gossip monger has dealt with — and the arms.

Graves' disease can cause the thyroid to become overactive, and around 30 percent of suffers will display bulging eyes.

The care team noted that they were sharing the diagnosis at this time as her fans had become concerned in recent years about 'Wendy's ability to process information,' leading many to speculate 'about Wendy's condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions.'

Following news that the 59-year-old media personality was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, Finnie recalled having to break the news to her godmother multiple times

'I got serious, and I said, 'I want to really explain something to you so that you can get this,' Finnie said in conversation with CNN. 'There's no more Wendy Williams Show. They decided to cancel it. After so many fabulous seasons, this curtain has come down'

In announcing the diagnoses, they added that aphasia is a 'condition affecting language and communication abilities.' 

The condition affects around one million Americans, while 180,000 are diagnosed with it each year.

Aphasia can be caused by head injuries, as well as by tumors or strokes, as well as more gradual brain deterioration.

The condition can have varying degrees of severity, and it's unclear how affected Williams is by the condition, as she has not been seen in almost a year.

Affected individuals have difficulty both with speaking and with comprehending words, and it can also make it difficult or impossible for them to read. 

Sufferers can also display personality changes that can be disturbing or even alienating to friends and family members.

Despite her efforts to explain that the Williams' program was off the air, Finnie remembered her aunt telling her: 'What are you talking about? Of course, I have the show'

Her condition was described as progressive, meaning that she will continue to deteriorate over time.

Frontotemporal dementia also has a key relationship with speech and word recognition.

The condition, which is also described as frontotemporal disorders (FTD), occurs when neurons are damaged in either the brain's frontal lobe, temporal lobe, or both.

It is often accompanied by aphasia, and affected individuals have difficulty with language and comprehension skills.

FTD can also cause a person to have difficulty moving their limbs. Memory loss can occur over time and with more severe cases, but it is generally not as pronounced as for individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Williams falls squarely within the most-common age range for developing frontotemporal dementia, as most suffers will develop it between 45 and 65, though people can still develop the condition later in life.

'Unfortunately, many individuals diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, particularly when they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis,' her care team wrote. 

The health news comes just two days before Williams was set to appear in the Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams?, which she executive produced.

'It took a little bit of convincing and conversations with the powers that be from her show for her to really understand that the show is no more,' Finnie told the outlet

The two-part documentary filmed her from August 2022 to April 2023, when Williams entered the treatment facility where she remains to this day.

Trailers and advance clips from the film show Williams at what should be the opportunity for a career revival — as she prepared to launch a podcast shortly after the cancellation of The Wendy Williams Show — but instead it appears to have documented her struggles with alcohol abuse, as well as her increasing cognitive difficulties.

One clip featured in a trailer shows Williams saying she doesn't recognize any of the buildings she's being driven past.

The documentary also includes a scene in which she asks her driver to go past her old TV studio — despite having had him drive by it just minutes earlier — according to People.

'I don’t know what the hell is going on,' her driver admits for the cameras. 'I think she’s losing memory. She doesn’t know who I am sometimes.'