Wendy Williams Net Worth: Know All About Her Income Resources
Wendy Williams has amassed a staggering fortune thanks to her prosperous broadcast and business careers. She is worth $20 million thanks to her many successful endeavors as a TV host, entrepreneur, media personality, and writer in the United States. Her extraordinary $10 million annual salary as host and executive producer of “The Wendy Williams Show” is largely responsible for her financial success. She was a household name in New York City as a radio DJ before she got her start in television. Williams has dabbled in performing, published books, and started jewelry and apparel businesses of her own.
Who is Wendy Williams?
Wendy Joan Williams was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey on July 18, 1964. Shirley and Thomas Dwayne Williams had three children—she being the second.
Education was always prioritized growing up in her family’s educational household. Her mother worked as a special education teacher and her father was a school principal.
Asbury Park’s racial unrest forced the family to relocate to Ocean Township’s Wayside, a suburb. Wendy would go in a different direction in life than what her parents had envisioned for her—becoming a nurse.
Wendy Williams got her start in the industry as a shock jockette while working for multiple radio stations.
She began her radio career at WQHT in New York and became famous after landing a show called “Dish the Dirt” where she boldly explored the personal lives of celebrities. She was able to leap to television because of her early achievements.
Wendy Williams Net Worth 2024
Net Worth | $28 Million |
Annual Income | $1.5 Million |
Salary | $50,000 per episode |
Inheritance | $100,000 |
Bank Balance | $2.4 Million |
Wendy Williams Net Worth Growth
2018 | $15 Million |
2019 | $17 Million |
2020 | $19 Million |
2021 | $21 Million |
2022 | $23 Million |
2023-2024 | $25 Million |
Marianne Williams’s Assets
Home: Williams possesses a residence in Livingston, New Jersey that spans 10,000 square feet. In addition to a swimming pool, the house features five bedrooms and six bathrooms. An appraisal pegged its value at $2.5 million.
Vehicles: Williams’s fleet includes a Range Rover, a Bentley Continental, and a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Her collection of automobiles is worth an estimated $1 million.
Among Williams’s other holdings include a production firm, apparel lines, and fragrances. She also has a stake in Love & Hip Hop: New York as a co-owner. All of her other assets are worth around $50 million.
Note that since February 2022, Wells Fargo Bank has blocked Williams’ assets. Williams, according to the bank, was the target of financial exploitation and inappropriate influence. Williams is battling to recover her assets and has refuted the accusations.
Although the verdict in the case is still up in the air, it will surely affect Williams’ bank account in a big way.
Wendy Williams Radio Career
Her career in professional radio began in the Virgin Islands at WVIS. She then found work in New York City as a fill-in DJ at WRKS. Wendy then took on a crucial position as afternoon host at WOL, a station located in Washington DC. Wendy Williams’ meteoric rise to fame allowed her to become one of the most in-demand full-time DJs at the station, and she eventually took over the pivotal drive-time shift. After the format changed, Wendy moved to New York City’s famous Hot 97 urban station, where she stayed from 1994 to 1998. After being let go from Hot 97 in 1998, she landed a new job at a Philadelphia station called WUSL. During this time in Philadelphia, Wendy Williams met Kevin Hunter, who would later become her husband and agent, and she also found her stride.
Her show became syndicated nationwide as it gathered traction. Wendy attracted herself to viewers and helped propel the station from 14th to 2nd place in ratings by being upfront and forthright about her personal challenges, such as miscarriages, former drug addiction, and breast enlargement surgery. When Wendy moved back to New York City in 2001, she quickly secured a four-hour syndicated time slot on WBLS. Wendy Williams rose to even greater radio stardom during this time after her iconic and energetic interview with Whitney Houston. When Wendy’s television career took off in 2009, she left her radio show behind. She was already a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame when this happened.
The Windy Williams Show
At the moment, Wendy’s most famous job is hosting “The Wendy Williams Show,” a syndicated television program that has received a lot of praise from viewers.
In 2008, Williams received an offer from Debmar-Mercury, who gave her a six-week tryout of her own TV chat show. In July 2008, the first episode of “The Wendy Williams Show” aired, and viewers were pleased with the reception. Afterward, Fox and Debmar-Mercury reached a national broadcasting agreement for the show. BET International began airing the show in 54 countries in 2010 after securing the cable rights to carry it during nighttime periods. With over 2.4 million views per day, it’s clear that the show is doing well. With over 1,500 episodes spread across 13 seasons, the chat show has been a smash hit among American women aged 25-54 since its debut in November 2015.
As a result of problems related to Graves’ illness, Williams encountered an unforeseen setback in February 2019. Until her return on March 4, 2019, her role was temporarily filled by guest hosts, one of which was Nick Cannon. Both 2015 and 2016 saw Williams nominated for a Daytime Emmy for her work as host of “Wendy: The Wendy Williams Show,” specifically for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show. The 2016 People’s Choice Award nomination for Favorite Daytime TV Host was another honor she received.
Williams was briefly succeeded by a succession of guest hosts for the 2021 season while she took an indefinite leave of absence owing to multiple health difficulties. “Sherri,” Debmar-Mercury’s “The Wendy Williams Show” successor, began filming in February 2023 with Sherri Shepherd at the helm.
A Career in Acting
Among Williams’ many accomplishments in the entertainment industry are her roles in films, TV shows, stage productions, and stand-up comedy. Famous television programs that have included her include “Martin,” “One Life to Live,” and “Dancing with the Stars.” Hollywood has been kind to her in a number of features, including “Think Like a Man,” “Act Like a Lady,” “World War Z,” and “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.”
Williams brought her trademark brand of humor to people all over the country in 2014 when she went on a stand-up comedy tour. In the year that followed, she launched “The Wendy Williams Sit Down Tour: Too Real for Standup,” a 12-city tour that showcased her comedic talents on stage.
Williams and her husband Kevin launched Wendy Williams Productions in 2013 to produce reality television. Williams has been an active producer of numerous television productions in addition to her on-screen performances. Among her notable works are her stints as a judge on “Drop Dead Diva” (2011) and a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” (12). In 2013, she was also a featured performer in the seven-week smash hit musical “Chicago” on Broadway.
“Death by Gossip with Wendy Williams,” a documentary series that aired on the Discovery channel in 2015 and included Williams in both the hosting and producing capacities, is just one example of how Williams’ influence has grown as a producer. She was also a producer for the 2011 season of the GSN game show “Love Triangle” and had a significant role in the 2014 Lifetime biopic “Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B). Wendy Williams has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry with her multi-faceted career.
Literature and Other Pursuits
A few of Wendy’s novels are “Wendy’s Got the Heat,” “The Wendy Williams Experience,” and A Romance, “Hold Me in Contempt,” “Ritz Harper Goes to Hollywood,” “Is the Bitch Dead, Or What?,” “Drama Is Her Middle Name,” and “Ask Wendy: Straight-Up Advice for All the Drama in Your Life.” Among Wendy’s many famous sayings, “How you doin’?” stands out.
On March 28, 2015, Williams debuted a line of dress, pants, sweater, and skirt options in partnership with HSN. Wendy Williams’s collection, which was only available on HSN, garnered a lot of attention; in fact, Williams revealed on her talk show that it was HSN’s most-watched premiere ever. With her jewelry line “Adorn by Wendy Williams,” which is showcased and sold on the home shopping network QVC, Wendy Williams has also expanded into the realm of accessories.
Real Estate
In 2009, Wendy spent $2.1 million for a 6,000-square-foot house in Livingston, New Jersey, which served as Kevin and Wendy’s primary residence. After much deliberation, Wendy sold the property in August 2020 for $1.475 million.
According to news reports dated April 24, 2019, Wendy had made major moves to cut Kevin out of her life at work and at home. She allegedly fired him from his position on the show and hired a group of financial experts to protect her wealth. Not only did Wendy appear to cut all connections, but she also appointed a new management to take charge of her business. The $3 million she put on a penthouse in Manhattan was a bold move. When new information surfaced in March 2023, it became clear that Wendy was selling off her belongings to fund her move from New York to Los Angeles.
Final Words
A reflection of Wendy Williams’ varied and successful career is her net worth in 2024. Williams has successfully navigated the ever-shifting entertainment industry by constantly reinventing herself, starting from her radio days to her current roles as a television host, author, and entrepreneur. Her wealth is evidence of her tenacity and perseverance, as much as it is of her financial success.