The Wendy Williams Show was canceled after 13 seasons last month. The show’s website, Instagram handles, and YouTube channel reportedly rebranded ahead of Sheri Shephard’s new show premiering in September.
An insider revealed the surprising news to The Jasmine Brand, stating that Wendy Williams’ reps were denied access to the Twitter and Instagram accounts.
“Wendy’s people asked to have her Twitter and Instagram back, but she was told no! She stated that her own Instagram account only has 89,000 followers, and her The Wendy Williams Show account has over 1 million,” the source said.
“The plan is to rename Wendy’s official accounts for Sherri Shepherd. Thus, Sherri’s show will debut with millions of social media followers who are really Wendy’s,” the insider added.
Fans noticed the changes last weekend after accessing the show’s content on multiple internet platforms.
According to Entertainment Weekly, those who followed the beloved talk show’s page on Instagram received a “Sorry, this page isn’t available” error message after attempting to access the @WendyShow account.
Meanwhile, the show’s website, WendyShow.com, also had an error message with GoDaddy as the domain registrar claiming the site.
Fans took to Twitter and shared their thoughts while stating that Wendy Williams’ legacy was intentionally being erased from the internet.
One fan said, “They are trying to erase Wendy Williams’ legacy right in front of our eyes. They know her YouTube channel is our last memory of her iconic talk show. There is no good reason for her to delete her channel.”
They are trying to erase Wendy Williams' legacy right in front of our eyes. They know her YouTube channel is our last memory of her iconic talk show. There is no good reason for her to delete her channel.
— 𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚌𝚊 (@MJFINESSELOVER) July 4, 2022
“So… they booted Wendy Williams from her show that she worked nearly 14 years to build, deleted its official YouTube, and social media accounts…” award-winning blogger KenBarbie tweeted.
So… they booted Wendy Williams from her show that she worked nearly 14 years to build, deleted its official YouTube, and social media accounts…
This is why ownership becomes important because I can’t believe they’re pissing all over her legacy like this. pic.twitter.com/Glt7Bwz97A
— KenBarbie™ (@itsKenBarbie) July 5, 2022
Kat Tenbarge, tech and culture reporter for NBC News, also said the surprising move is disrespectful to the 57-year-old’s legacy in the entertainment business.
“Taking down the Wendy Williams Show’s YouTube channel is so disrespectful to her legacy and removes a massive stream of monetization for Wendy that she deserved,” she tweeted.
Taking down the Wendy Williams Show’s YouTube channel is so disrespectful to her legacy and removes a massive stream of monetization for Wendy that she deserved
— Kat Tenbarge (@kattenbarge) July 5, 2022
Fans started noticing all content, and the accounts were removed from the internet on July 4.
https://twitter.com/KenyaTheHunter/status/1544503981401055233
One fan suggested something more serious could be happening for all of Williams’ content being deleted.
https://twitter.com/MahonyCathal/status/1544785149069611009
Recently, Williams created a new Instagram account to promote her podcast with @thewendyexperiencepodcast as the IG handle. So far, she’s only added four posts to the page.
“Doing A Show, Not a TV Show Sorry, it is a WENDY EXPERIENCE! STAY TUNED! #wendy #experience #new #vibe #fabulous #begginings,” the captioned her first post.
View this post on Instagram
The Wendy Williams Show ended with a series finale on June 17 after 13 seasons, with guest Shephard serving as guest host.
