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WENDY Williams feels “broken” because her ex Kevin Hunter and his baby mama are “living off her fame and fortune” as she struggles after being “hospitalized for psychiatric issues,” a source exclusively told The Sun.
The Sun was the first to report that the troubled 57-year-old star had been “struggling with addiction” leading up to her hospital dash last month, while she was also battling COVID-19.
“Wendy was drinking every day, even while filming the show,” an insider revealed, adding staffers would regularly smell liquor on her.
She previously opened up to viewers about her addiction issues on the heels of filing for divorce from Hunter, 49, after it was revealed that he had a baby with his mistress Sharina Hudson, 35.
At the time, Wendy confessed that she had been living in a sober house.
Now, an insider has told The Sun she is still not over the betrayal – and it contributed to her downward spiral.
They said: “She’s getting better but she has been broken for a while and much of it is because of the way she feels her ex husband and his new family are enjoying the fruits of her labor.
“She is hurt and betrayed and realizes how staying in an abusive situation has hurt her health.
“He was the love of her life, they were married for a long time, and she finds it hard to watch him build another family with someone else while she is left feeling lonely.
“She has tried to date and move on, but has been struggling for some time to meet anyone she can share her life with.”
Another source close to Wendy disputed the story, but declined to provide any details on the record.
The star and her ex, who share son Kevin Jr, 21, were married for more than 20 years and Wendy filed for divorce in 2019.
Since their split, Kevin has been living with new girlfriend Sharina Hudson and their daughter Journey, two.
Wendy and her ex agreed to forego alimony in their divorce but sold their New Jersey home for $1.4million and split the proceeds, according to court documents.
He signed over his shares of Wendy Williams Productions to her and she kept their joint bank account, but he was able to keep his cars and separate businesses.
Hunter broke his silence on the cheating scandal in a statement to PEOPLE, admitting he was “not proud of my recent actions.”
After their split, Wendy fired him as her manager, a role he had kept since they married, and he was let go as an executive producer on her chat show, but he left with a healthy severance package, according to reports.
As Wendy continues to struggle with their breakup, the source says she may step back from her chat show – after The Sun revealed the premiere for the new season has been pushed back until at least October 18.
“The network wants her to stay but they know it’s coming to an end,” they said.
“It hasn’t been decided yet whether the show may come back for one more season, but it is definitely ending.
“She is telling close friends that she’d like to slowly step away from the show so she can focus on other areas of her life and relax. She’s given so much of her life to the media.
“Wendy wants to focus on producing but also use her time to regain her strength behind the camera.
“She is in talks with the network to see how best she can go about leaving on a high.”
Meanwhile, a separate source close to The Wendy Williams Show previously told The Sun that “Wendy’s staff are looking for new jobs. They don’t believe she will ever come back.
“It’s a mass exodus. They are trying to get out before the ship sinks.”
The insider also said that it’s a tough spot for her team as the show does really well in the ratings.
“Her numbers are good. She’s no Oprah but her show is cheap and she beats Tamron Hall,” they said.
The Wendy Williams Show had been postponed from its original return date of September 20 to two weeks later on October 4. But now it’s been delayed again.
A statement posted on Wendy’s show’s Instagram page read: “Wendy will not be returning with new shows on October 4.
“She has been and continues to be under a doctor’s care and is still not ready to return to work. We plan to return with new shows on October 18.
“Her breakthrough Covid case is no longer an issue and she has tested negative, but she is still dealing with some ongoing medical issues.”
One source previously noted to The Sun that Wendy’s show premiere doesn’t just impact her show’s revenue- it also impacts Nick Cannon’s eponymous daytime talk show as well.
“The pressure is on him to get ratings- and without the huge lead in, he’s dead.”
Her show, produced and distributed by Debmar-Mercury, and has not been renewed beyond the 2021-2022 season by Fox Television Stations.
