Wendy Williams Ordered To Give Deposition In Documentary Lawsuit Despite Dementia (Report)

Wendy Williams will reportedly be deposed in the ongoing legal battle over her bombshell Lifetime documentary. According to court documents obtained by People on Sept. 16, a judge ruled that the former talk show host is required to give a de bene esse deposition by Nov. 4, which is a deposition taken to preserve the testimony of a witness who may be unable to testify at a later date due to circumstances such as illness. Access Hollywood has reached out to Wendy’s team for comment on the latest development. Wendy remains under a court-appointed guardianship following her 2023 frontotemporal dementia diagnosis and has consistently denied claims that she is mentally incapacitated. Her guardian, Sabrina Morrisey, previously filed claims that the networks, media companies and producer named in the lawsuit “took advantage” of Williams’ alleged “physical and cognitive decline” in the two-part “Where is Wendy Williams?” documentary special that aired in February 2024 that chronicled the star’s troubling personal struggles. The filing, obtained by Access Hollywood, claimed at the time that Wendy was “clearly incapable of consenting to be filmed,” which the defendants denied, alleging in their response that the documentary was conceived of with Wendy’s “consent, input and participation” prior to her diagnosis and guardianship. The latest development comes amid Wendy’s rare public appearances at New York Fashion Week, where she’s attended multiple shows in recent days. Earlier this year, she gave Access Hollywood a glimpse at how she was doing at an assisted living facility in New York City, waving from her window and sending love with a heart sign and a smile. In addition to her dementia diagnosis, Wendy has faced other health issues in recent years including Graves disease and substance abuse. In March, she revealed in a pre-taped phone interview with “The View” that she is now embracing a life of sobriety.