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Leave Of Absence: Wendy Williams Is Still Out Sick, Chooses First-Ever Guest Co-Host

The talk show host also announced her official return date.

After initially planning to take two weeks off from her morning talk show to tend to her health, Wendy Williams has extended her hiatus a bit more. However, the show's re-runs won't be on for long as she has, for the first time ever, chosen a temporary guest co-host to sit in her purple chair during her absence.

Taking to Twitter, Williams recently revealed that she's selected one of her favorite celebrity guests, Jerry O'Connell, to keep her seat warm while she's away.

(Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation)

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

(Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation)

In the tweet, she thanked him for agreeing to fill in for her while she got "some much needed rest," and also informed fans that she will officially return on Monday, March 19.

The gossip queen also spoke with Us Weekly about her decision.

"Jerry has been such a good friend to me and to the show," she said in a statement to the publication. "We're happy to welcome him as a guest host while I'm out getting much needed rest."

The actor said in a statement of his own that he is eager to get to work and "help out."

"We all know nobody can fill the purple chair like Wendy, but I am honored to sit with her co-hosts and to bring the many fans all the Hot topics they love," he said. "Like Wendy tells us, 'I am going to Say It Like I Mean It.'"

This all comes on the heels of Williams revealing during her February 21 episode that she would be taking some time off to deal with issues with hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder."

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