It’s official! Actress and comedian Sherri Shepherd will be hosting her own daytime television talk show later this fall after filling in as guest co-host for “The Wendy Williams Show” while host Wendy Williams wrestled with ongoing health complications. The news also comes days after online announcements that Williams’ show would be canceled this summer.
The upcoming show, titled “Sherri,” is set to air during the same time frame currently held by Williams’ longtime running talk show, Variety reported. Many of the staff members from Williams’ show, including individuals from production as well as her executive producer, have all been brought onboard for Shepherd’s show in the fall.
The 54-year-old confirmed the news during a recent taping of the “The Wendy Williams Show” after jokingly telling audience members that she was getting married. After the crowd burst out with cheers, the “Precious” actress revealed that she was getting married, but was joining a different kind of partner with the same company behind shows hosted by Williams and Nick Cannon, whom Shepherd shouted out during her announcement.
The actress shared that she longed to host her series before appearing on another talk show, “The View,” in 2007. She also revealed she had shot a pilot for a potential show, but the project never got off the ground.
Shepherd explained that in light of her latest achievement, she wanted to address reports circulating via social media that was she was set to “replace” Williams. As previously reported, “The Wendy Williams Show” will be canceled later this summer after airing for 14 seasons.
“I do want to say there had been all these crazy stories online about me replacing Wendy, and I am here to tell you that that is not true because no one can replace the queen — nobody,” Shepherd said. “And trust me, I am not trying to at all.” .
She continued, “It is Wendy’s place to share her story with you, but I do want to give the queen her props and her flowers because Wendy had a legendary career in radio, and this show was specifically crafted for her. No one can do this format but Wendy.”
Shepherd went on to list that among some of the “greatest shows of all time: Oprah Winfrey, Phil Donahue, Ricky Lake, ‘The View,’ Montell Williams; you have got to mention “The Wendy Williams Show.”
She concluded her statement by saying, “Wendy’s unique brand of shade and her shoe cam, the die-heart fans remember the bubble gum wall; Wendy Williams created a unique brand that folks always gonna love and talk about.”
It is still unclear whether Williams will return to her show before its reported pending cancellation in June. The 57-year-old has been experiencing severe complications due to her Graves’ disease and a thyroid condition.
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