The Wendy Williams Show will end with its 15th season, the show’s distributor Debmar-Mercury announced Tuesday. The show will be replaced in the fall by Sherri, a new talk show hosted by Sherri Shepherd. Shepherd took over as permanent interim host of The Wendy Williams Show earlier this year following a revolving door of guest hosts since the start of the season. Host Wendy Williams took an indefinite leave last year due to health issues, though the studio had maintained she would continue to host her eponymous program. “Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making this transition now,” Debmar-Mercury said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. Williams understood the decision and is grateful for the show’s support, her rep Howard Bragman told People. “She, more than anyone, understands the reality of syndicated television—you can’t go to the marketplace and sell a show that’s the ‘Maybe Wendy Show,’” he continued. “She understands why this decision was made from a business point of view.”
