Sherri Shepherd undergoes emergency surgery for appendicitis

Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Sherri Shepherd is recovering after undergoing emergency surgery for appendicitis.

Deadline said Monday that Shepherd, 54, will be unable to guest host The Wendy Williams Show as planned due to her recovery.

"Due to appendicitis, Sherri Shepherd underwent an emergency surgery yesterday. The procedure was successful and Ms. Shepherd is doing fine and resting," Shepherd's rep said.

"She is absolutely devastated that she will not be able to guest host The Wendy Williams Show today, but she is following doctors orders and expected to make a full recovery," the rep added. "Thank you all for understanding and respecting her privacy."

Michael Rapaport will fill in for Shepherd, who hopes to be able to host The Wendy Williams Show later in the week.

Shepherd thanked Rapaport in a tweet Monday.

"If you watched the @WendyWilliams show today, you saw the news about my emergency surgery. Thanks to @MichaelRapaport for stepping in for me at the last minute! And while I'm mad I didn't meet @NaomiWWE in person yet, Jeffrey did!" she wrote, referencing her son Jeffrey.

Williams has been absent from her show due to ongoing health issues amid her battle with Graves disease. She tested positive for COVID-19 in September and has since recovered.