Wendy Williams’ guardian is taking legal action against Lifetime’s parent company — A&E Television Networks — ahead of the release of a documentary about the famed talk show host.
A woman named Sabrina Morrissey, who is Williams’ temporary guardian, filed a sealed lawsuit against the network earlier this week, according to court documents obtained by Pvnew.
Despite the lawsuit being sealed, it’s clear that Morrissey is trying to obtain a temporary restraining order, as well as an order to show cause for an injunction.
While it’s unclear exactly why she filed the lawsuit, a restraining order could be used to halt the release of a film or project.
The court documents were notably filed just before the “Where is Wendy Williams” two-part documentary, which was executive produced by the shock jock herself, is set to air on Saturday.
A hearing has been set for next week to decide whether or not the documents should remain sealed. However, given that the documentary comes out before the hearing date, a judge could make a swift ruling on the lawsuit before the meeting.
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TMZ was the first to report the news.
Reps for Williams and A&E did not immediately respond to Pvnew’s request for comment.
The documentary trailer was released earlier this month, giving fans a grim glimpse into the famed talk show host’s struggle with alcoholism and financial woes while living under a guardianship.
“I have no money,” the 59-year-old declared in the footage, which Lifetime removed shortly after releasing it.
Williams’ son, Kevin Hunter Jr., and her sister, Wanda, were also interviewed for the doc with the former claiming that her court-appointed guardian hasn’t “done a good job of protecting” his mother.
“They took her away from us,” he alleged.
News of the filing also came on the heels of William’s frontotemporal dementia and aphasia diagnosis.
“As Wendy’s fans are aware, in the past she has been open with the public about her medical struggles with Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema as well as other significant challenges related to her health,” her team wrote in a press release Thursday.
According to the statement, the “Wendy Williams Show” host went to get testing done last year after noticing memory and speech issues that led her to act “erratically.”
“Receiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires,” the statement said.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a group of disorders that occur when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. FTD can affect behavior, personality, language and movement.
“The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy, but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances.”
Williams’ niece, Alex Finnie, appeared on “The View” right as the news broke, telling the women that her aunt “sounds really good” and can still hold “full conversations” despite the diagnosis.
