Leah Remini to be first 'Wendy Williams' guest host
Leah Remini last guest hosted "The Wendy Williams Show" in January. Credit: Getty Images for International Documentary Association / Jesse Grant
Actor-producer Leah Remini will be the first regular guest host when "The Wendy Williams Show" returns next week without the ailing Williams as the titular star continues to recover from medical issues.
Emmy Award winner Remini, 51, begins a four-day stint on the syndicated daytime talk show Tuesday, following the season premiere Monday with a panel including Devyn Simone, Bevy Smith, Elizabeth Wagmeister and Michael Yo. Executive producer David Perler said in a statement Thursday, "Wendy's shoes are hard to fill, so we needed to find the right fit. Leah will bring a lot of fun and energy to our viewers with a few surprises along the way."
The show's Instagram account heralded the former "King of Queens" star — who won two Emmys as producer of the documentary series "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" — with a post calling her a "Friend to the Show." She has appeared on it at least five times, most recently as a guest on Jan. 26.
