Peacock set to bring Wendy Williams’ story back to TV with new docuseries
Peacock has ordered a documentary about Wendy Williams, set to debut in 2027, from someone who knows her best. The streaming service is making a three-part docuseries, ‘Clap If You Care: The Wendy Williams Show,’ Variety reports. Susanne Bass, who executive produced ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ for 13 of its 14 seasons and often appeared on the show to react to Williams' interviews, is an executive producer on the project. The upcoming title will feature interviews with several people who worked on the show, but Williams herself will not appear in it.
The docuseries is promoted as a celebration, not an exposé. Peacock's press release reveals that the project will highlight the show's “outrageous fun, cultural impact and meteoric rise.” It will shed light on Williams’ journey from radio personality to one of the most recognizable faces in daytime television. Bass is expected to deliver what the press release states will be “a firsthand account of the show's unique place in pop culture.” Notably, Peacock isn’t the only network that will highlight Williams’ story. Netflix is said to be working on a competing documentary of its own, with further details yet to be revealed. Given Williams’ current circumstances, both projects will likely comprise archival footage and interviews with her old team and friends, rather than new conversations with her.
Williams’ life has repeatedly drawn public attention. Her accounts were frozen in 2022 over alleged suspicious transactions, and after she was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, she was placed under guardianship. This type of degenerative dementia can cause language difficulties and worsen over time. As a result, Sabrina Morrissey, her court-appointed guardian, gained control over her healthcare and finances. However, Williams resented Morrissey and has publicly accused her of holding her hostage. The situation changed dramatically in November, when a neurologist who examined Williams in New York reportedly found no signs of frontotemporal dementia. Williams’ attorney, Joe Tacopina, has announced his intent to take the case to trial if the court refuses to lift the guardianship.
Peacock’s project arrives against this backdrop, after Lifetime’s 2024 docuseries ‘Where Is Wendy Williams?’ was accused of presenting a misleading portrait of its subject and faced a lawsuit from her guardian, who later dropped the case. It will be interesting to see whether ‘Clap If You Care’ chooses to tackle this particular court case or delve into the television legend’s past.
