KEY POINTS

  • Wendy Williams earns $15 million per year from books, endorsements and her show, a report says
  • She reportedly gets paid $10 million annually to host "The Wendy Williams Show"
  • Williams was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame before becoming known as a talk show host

Wendy Williams is one of the richest TV hosts today, boasting an estimated net worth of $40 million. Here’s how she built her fortune.

Williams is earning $15 million per year from a variety of sources, including books, endorsements and her talk show, Forbes reported. Before becoming a TV personality, she had a career in radio and even got inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Nowadays, Williams gets paid $10 million per year to host "The Wendy Williams Show," which has been nationally syndicated since 2008. This puts her salary at $55,000 per episode, Celebrity Net Worth reported.

Williams’ popularity soared after she began discussing personal issues such as miscarriages, past drug addiction and breast enhancement. Since BET picked up cable rights to broadcast the show at night, "The Wendy Williams Show" has been airing in 54 countries through BET International. The show averages 2.4 million daily viewers and has aired over 1,500 episodes across 10 seasons.

The 56-year-old has earned nominations in various award shows, including the Daytime Emmy Awards and People's Choice Awards.

Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams pictured at "Shade 45" hosted by Sway at SiriusXM Studios on July 13, 2017, in New York City. Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

When not busy filming episodes of her talk show, Williams is writing books. She has authored several books, including “Wendy's Got the Heat,” “The Wendy Williams Experience,” “Ask Wendy: Straight-Up Advice for All the Drama in Your Life,” among others.

Williams has also appeared in other TV shows, with her most recent one being “Masked Singer,” where she didn't make it past one round. When asked why she joined the singing contest, Williams told People that it was fun and suggested to her fans to "go for it.”

On the personal side, she was married to TV producer Kevin Hunter for 22 years before filing for divorce in 2019. Williams alleged that her estranged husband fathered a child with his longtime mistress. The talk show host and Hunter share a son named Kevin Hunter Jr.

Her divorce could potentially cost her millions. “Those future royalties or endorsements could vest after a divorce, but the contract was entered into during marriage, potentially making it all community property," family law attorney Maryam Atighechi told Forbes.

But the challenges in her personal life did not stop Williams from doing things that she loves. The New Jersey native cemented her status as one of the biggest celebrities in Hollywood after getting her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to Women’s Health.

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