Ahead of the upcoming Lifetime documentary “Where is Wendy Williams?” Wendy Williams' niece, Alex Finnie, gave insight into her aunt's personal life in an interview with “Good Morning America.”
Williams became a household name through her daytime show “The Wendy Williams Show,” which she hosted for twelve seasons.
Known for her signature greeting: “How are you?” Williams entertained huge audiences by analyzing the latest celebrity gossip and interviewing celebrity guests during her famous “Hot Topics” segment on the show.
MORE: Wendy Williams shares the worst advice she never followed
Her public appearances, as well as her show, came to a rather abrupt end after producers of The Wendy Williams Show announced the end of the talk show in February 2022 due to Williams' ongoing health issues, which included Graves' disease and a thyroid disorder.
The Wendy Williams Show was replaced in fall 2022 by Sherri, a new series hosted by Sherri Shepherd.
Alex Finnie speaks with ABC News' Deborah Roberts during an interview in New York City.
Speaking to “GMA” in a sit-down interview with Deborah Roberts, Finnie admitted that the upcoming documentary about the reality of Williams' life was hard to watch.
“I said I wouldn't cry – because I feel like I've cried enough in the last year and a half,” she explained. “But what people will see is a broken woman who has carried the world on her shoulders for so long – and has simply broken down.”
Finnie said she was “ready” to break the silence about her aunt since Williams began disappearing from public life, adding: “I've been living in this secret bubble for a very long time.”
During the two-year filming of the documentary, Finnie, who appears occasionally, spent days and nights with Williams, witnessing some of the star's bad moments, including an excessive drinking habit and moments of incoherence.
MORE: Wendy Williams updates on her recovery
When asked about criticism leading up to the documentary's release that the film might exploit Williams, Finnie told Roberts that Williams said she saw it as an opportunity to take responsibility for her own story.
“I understand that people are going to look at it and – some people are going to look at it and think that,” Finnie said. “But the main thing I want to say is this: My aunt is the executive producer of this documentary.”
“And when I finally talked to her and said to her, 'Aunt Wendy, why – do you want to do this?' You know, “You're – you're – you're clearly – the health aspect, that all needs to be addressed. Is now the right time?” And she said, 'Now is the perfect time because I want to take ownership of my story,'” Finnie explained.
For many, Wiliams' story took a dramatic turn on Halloween 2017 when she collapsed on her show. The event prompted some fans to question whether the star, who has been open about his health issues and battle with alcohol and drug abuse, was in trouble.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images, FILE
Television personality Wendy Williams speaks onstage during her 10th anniversary celebration of “The Wendy Williams Show” at the Buckhead Theater on August 16, 2018 in Atlanta.
Two years later, a series of unfortunate events followed, including her stint in rehab, a messy divorce, and her long absence from the set before her show was canceled in early 2022.
Months after her show was canceled, Williams invited a camera crew to her home in hopes of unveiling a reboot of her career. There were also photos of alcohol bottles that were found near her house.
When asked if her aunt was an alcoholic, Finnie replied, “You know, and in terms of being an alcoholic, I don't want to categorize her because, you know, I'm not a medical professional.”
“But what I can say is that my aunt has had some unhealthy habits when it comes to alcohol in recent years,” she added.
In addition to Williams' health issues in 2022, the star was also in a legal battle with Wells Fargo Bank, which froze her accounts for two months.
A New York judge later appointed a guardian to manage her finances and life after the bank alleged in 2022 court documents that Williams was a “victim of undue influence and financial exploitation.”
However, Williams denied the claims shortly afterward, telling “GMA” at the time, “Well, you know, when people want control of their accounts, they say anything about me, even something crazy like that.”
In the upcoming documentary, the star's family members said they had little access to Williams following the judge's decision.
During the interview with “GMA,” Finnie also said that her family was “barred” from New York state, which prevented them from providing assistance to Williams.
Meanwhile, in response to ABC News, Wells Fargo shared a statement saying: “This matter has been kept under wraps. All claims against Wells Fargo have been dismissed.”
Finnie also addressed rumors that Williams' son Kevin Jr. or someone close to the star took advantage of her financially, prompting Wells Fargo to intervene.
“Well, I personally haven’t seen it [a] Family [member] I'm taking advantage of my aunt's money. “I didn’t,” she affirmed. In the documentary, Kevin Jr. says he never took any money without Williams' consent.
When addressing the question of who would benefit from the documentary, Finnie told “GMA” that “hopefully the only person who comes out of this as a winner is my aunt.”
Speaking about her future hopes for Williams, Finnie revealed that her aunt still has a desire to get back into the workforce.
“I know that she…talking to her is hoping to get back on her feet [her] “I hope for her that she does everything she wants that makes her happy and stays within the limits of her health.”
The upcoming documentary will show a “raw, honest and unfiltered reality of Wendy's life after she was placed under financial conservatorship,” a press release said. It also aims to tell the story of “Wendy’s journey to revitalize her career and the filmmakers’ discoveries along the way.”
“Where’s Wendy Williams?” will debut February 24th and 25th on Lifetime.