Wendy Williams 'Jealous' Over Ratings Boom With Guest Host Sherri Shepherd As TV Icon Remains Sidelined By Health Crisis: Report

As Sherri Shepherd is holding down The Wendy Williams Show, a source is squealing titular host Wendy Williams — who is recovering from a health crisis — is not loving the comedian sliding in so smoothly.

An insider spilled to The Sun, the 54-year-old daytime diva is "jealous" that ratings have flourished in her absence and the audience has taken to the former The View cohost so fondly.

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"Sherri is the closest to Wendy that her fans are going to get, and she's funny," the insider dished, but it's rubbing Williams the wrong way. "Wendy can't stand watching people fill-in for her. She just can't, and especially someone like Sherri who is getting the love from her own audience."

The source added the former radio personality is growing increasingly frustrated as her health struggles keep her off the air. "Wendy gets crazy jealous, and having to sit on the sidelines is eating her up — but there's no way around it," the insider explained. "The show must continue and when Sherri's on, the numbers go up."

The Ask Wendy: Straight-Up Advice for All the Drama In Your Life author has been MIA from her infamous purple chair since the new season started in September following "ongoing health issues." She was then rushed to the hospital for "psychiatric services." The mother-of-one, who previously contracted a breakthrough case of COVID-19 , is also said to be dealing with complications from Graves’ disease.

With Shepherd filling in and ratings soaring, OK! learned producers are contemplating replacing the ailing host. "No-one expected ratings to go up 32% without Wendy. The fill-in hosts were just supposed to keep the show's lights on until Wendy was well enough to return," a source spilled of the talk show's guest hosts, which included Leah Remini, Michael Rappaport, Remy Ma and more. "It was assumed that without Wendy, the audience would not watch, but this has not been the case."

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"In fact, when Sherri Shepherd took over she not only retained all of Wendy’s fans but also brought in a whole new audience too," the insider explained. "This is why the search has changed from finding a temporary replacement to a full-time one."