Ellen DeGeneres on Wednesday in an interview announced that she wishes to say goodbye to her long-running talk show: “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
After more than 3,000 episodes, 64 Daytime Emmy Awards, and 18 years on air, the comedian said “When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore.”
Just after the news about the talk show being a toxic place to work, Ellen made this announcement.
In 2020, there was an article that accused the show of a toxic work environment on the set from one current and 10 former employees. About 36 anonymous former workers claimed “harassment, sexual misconduct, and assault from top producers.”
When investigated, three executives left the show. Ellen DeGeneres apologised multiple times and suggested that her “introverted” nature could’ve been misinterpreted as not being nice.
Further in September she returned to her show and addressed the reports with the audience.
“As you may have heard this summer, there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show,” she said. “And then there was an investigation. I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously. And I want to say, I am so sorry to the people who were affected. I know that I’m in a position of privilege and power. I realized that with that comes responsibility and I take responsibility for what happens at my show.”
These allegations caused Ellen 1.1 million viewers according to The New York Times. After 19 suessful seasons, she decided to end the show.
The daytime talk show debuted in 2003 and has won more than 60 Emmy awards.
Here’s what she said in the interview-
“Today, I’m announcing that next season, season 19, is going to be my last season,” the comedian and host said in her opening monologue Wednesday. “So, the past 18 years, you have to know, has changed my life. You all have changed my life and I am forever grateful to all of you for watching, for laughing, for dancing… sometimes crying. This show has been the greatest experience of my life, and I owe it all to you. Thank you.”
Explaining her decision to call it quits, DeGeneres continued, “Two years ago, I signed a deal for three more years, and I always knew in my heart that season 19 would be my last… You may wonder why I’ve decided to end after 19 seasons. The truth is, I always trust my instincts. My instinct told me it’s time. As a comedian, I’ve always understood the importance of…timing. In all seriousness, I truly have felt like next season was the right time to end this amazing chapter.”
