This Wednesday it was announced that “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” will come to an end with its 19th season. However, the host warned her workers about the imminent end a day before the news was officially published.
According to the entertainment portal E! News, DeGeneres warned staff working on the show before the story broke on The Hollywood Reporter (THR). According to a source, the comedian called an emergency meeting on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 11. It was there that DeGeneres, whom the source described as “very sad”, informed her team of the show’s going off the air.
“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,” DeGeneres told THR.
The 62-year-old American comedian further said that she informed staff of the decision on May 11. Furthermore, DeGeneres stated she will sit down with Oprah Winfrey to discuss the end of her show in a lengthy interview that will air on May 13.
The show, which is currently in its 18th season, had dramatically declined in viewership. Several former employees publicly accused DeGeneres and several of her producers of creating a toxic work environment. DeGeneres decided not to renew her contract with the CBS network, which expires in 2022. Speaking to THR, the host denied that her iconic talk show is coming to an end due to the accusations against her.
According to Nielsen ratings for the month of March, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” lost more than 1 million viewers over the past year. On her return to TV in September, DeGeneres addressed the numerous complaints about workplace bullying episodes and apologized.
“I don’t look at this as the end at all. It’s the start of a new chapter, and hopefully, my fans will go with me wherever I go,” the talk show host stated on ending her show. “That being said, if I never do anything else ever again, I’m so proud of what this show stood for and still stands for and what we’ve made it through.
