Whatever Happened To Norman Baker From The Wendy Williams Show?
The professional relationship between Wendy Williams and her talk show producer, Norman Baker, spanned over a decade. Baker served as a producer on "The Wendy Williams Show" for over a decade. In addition to working behind the scenes, Baker also participated with Williams during her famous "Hot Topics" segment. Despite a successful run, once the show wrapped up in June 2022, there was a lot of controversy surrounding how Williams' series ended. Unfortunately, Baker stated that he played only a small part in the finale, which left him mourning his friend and workplace.
"But it's sad for the culture. It's sad for my relationship with her. We're good, we just kind of – we had a working relationship, so I don't really speak to her as much. There were points where we talked all day, every day. But you know, she's not doing well, so we don't really speak as much," Baker shared during a July 2022 interview with Reality with The King podcast.
But now, having settled into operating a new daytime TV show, it seems Baker is doing well after "The Wendy Williams Show."
Baker now works for the Sherri Shepherd show, which replaced Williams'
When Wendy Williams took a hiatus from her adored talk show in 2020, several hosts filled her space. Leah Remini and Whitney Cummings were among the guest hosts who sat in Williams' iconic purple chair. However, Sherri Shepherd filled the slot the longest, eventually leading to the creation of her self-titled show, which debuted in September 2022. With this new transition, Norman Baker was brought on board when Shepherd permanently replaced Williams and the move was challenging. "It's so bittersweet. I'm so sad but also so happy to be moving on to "Sherri," but Wendy was the best. I will miss her so much," he shared in June 2022 with paparazzi in New York.
While Baker was excited about his new gig, there were rumors in May 2023 that several members of Williams' old staff could get the boot from Shepherd's set. Insiders told Page Six that Shepherd was interested in "fresh energy" for the sophomore season of her program. However, it seems that Baker was able to keep his role, which he still has at the time of this report. As he did on Williams' show, Baker occasionally appears on camera, participating in segments such as the "Real Housewives" trivia game, which he played alongside Andy Cohen on the broadcast.
Baker launched his own Instagram pop culture series
In addition to helping run television shows, Norman Baker is also a self-proclaimed pop culture expert. Baker previously worked on VH1's "Best Week Ever," which recapped entertainment moments in the days leading up to each episode. He also booked celebrity guests during the "Best Year Ever" version. His vast knowledge of entertainers has likely helped Baker launch his own social media series, where he dissects pop culture news and viral stories. Just about each video includes Baker announcing, "Let's get into the mess!" before he dives into the news in these short-form clips. With over 100,000 followers on IG, these Reels rack up thousands of views.
While his run on "The Wendy Williams Show" ended after 12 years, Baker is still thriving in his career. It doesn't appear that he currently has a relationship with Williams. However, the Emmy-nominated producer is thankful for the time spent with the media personality, which helped solidify his career.