(NewsNation) — Regina Shell is concerned about the health of her best friend Wendy Williams, whom she hasn’t heard from in over a year.
Williams turned 60 on Thursday. She remains under court-ordered guardianship amid her diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
“That’s a milestone for anyone,” Shell said Friday night during an appearance on NewsNation’s “CUOMO.” “If in fact she were able to celebrate, she would have. And certainly with me.”
Shell wants “proof of life.”
“This has been one year that we have not seen her face, heard her, and she’s a very vocal woman. I don’t know what to do. … I would like to know that she’s alive and OK,” Shell said.
Earlier this year, Shell slammed the documentary aimed at chronicling the life of Williams and her struggles.
The documentary “Where Is Wendy Williams?” came out in February, right after Williams’ team announced she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. The documentary has faced criticism for its portrayal of Williams.
The producers, upon learning of her condition, admitted they wouldn’t have proceeded had they been aware during filming. The talk show host’s departure from “The Wendy Williams Show” after a decade raised speculation.
Shell, who appeared in the documentary without prior knowledge of its contents, recounted instances where Williams had no access to her finances, leading to delays in necessities, inclduing food. Shell expressed worries about the integrity of the appointed guardian, citing legal allegations against them.
“When I was in New York, staying with Wendy in the summer, I noticed she had no access to her money,” Shell recounted. “So every time she had to do anything she had to pay for, you had to go through the guardian. Her publicist also, who lives out in LA, both of us were going back and forth sending food to Wendy, because she wasn’t having access to food.”
NewsNation’s Damita Menezes contributed to this report.