Wendy Williams Recalls Scary Health Battle Ahead of Return to TV: 'There Was a Mess Going on Inside My Body'

The 53-year-old TV host opens up about her three-week hiatus.

Wendy Williams had no choice but to take time off.

The 53-year-old TV personality sat down for her first on-air interview with Good Morning America's Amy Robach since announcing on Feb. 21 that she would be taking a three-week hiatus due to her battle with hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease. The interview aired on the ABC morning program just hours ahead of Williams' return to hosting The Wendy Williams Show on Monday.

Prior to adhering to her doctor's advice, the daytime talk show host admitted that she knew something was off. "[I was like[, 'I'm functioning OK, I'm feeling a little weird but I'll get through it,'" she said. Turns out, her "levels were way off."

Upon being instructed to take nearly a month off of work, Williams said she was a roller coaster of emotions. "I cried and then I laughed," she recalled. "[I told the doctor,] 'Are you out of your mind? It's sweeps.'"

Williams added of her hiatus, "Turns out, it was the best prescription ever."

The outspoken host also shared more about her health issues, noting that she was "very deficient of vitamin D," so much so that one of her doctors told her it was the worst they'd ever seen.

"There's was just a mess going on inside my body," she continued.

Williams further stressed how she has a newfound focus on her health. "We, as women, particularly if we have families, you know, we’re taking care of children, we’re taking care of, you know, our home, our husbands, we take care of everybody but ourselves," she explained. "I'm not doing that anymore, Amy. Wendy first!"

As for her fans, Williams had a message for anyone that runs into her on the street. "Please don't ask me how I feel with the woo, woo, woo and the puppy party," she said, insisting she doesn't want anyone feeling sorry for her.

Since she's been on break, actor Jerry O'Connell has been filling in as guest host, but Robach said Williams told her that she only watched him on the show twice as she couldn't help but want to work. 

Here's more on Williams' hiatus: 

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