“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” aired its final episode on Thursday after a historic 19-season run. The show is coming to an end following allegations of toxic workplace conditions and an increasing number of controversies.
Driving the news: After DeGeneres announced last year that the show would be ending with the 19th season, the Los Angeles Times reported, “News of her departure comes nearly a year after staffers on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ reported a toxic work environment on set, prompting a televised apology from and shift in public perception towards Ellen.”
What they’re saying: DeGeneres recently told The Hollywood Reporter that she “has been ‘crying every day’ while taping episodes of her final season.”
- Regarding the show’s ending, DeGeneres remained confident in her decision, saying, “I was really emotional, even though it was my choice, and it’s the right choice,” per Fox News.
- DeGeneres began receiving criticism after a tweet by comedian Kevin Porter went viral in 2020. Porter asked people for “the most insane stories you’ve heard about Ellen being mean” and said he would donate $1 to a food bank for every reply, according to BuzzFeed News.
- The tweet received over 4,000 replies.
Details: The harmful workplace allegations began at the end of spring 2020, resulting in a couple-month break for the “Ellen” show.
- Following her summer hiatus, DeGeneres opened her 18th season with an apology that proved to have little impact. The show lost over one million viewers that season in wake of the allegations, translating to a 43% decline in viewership, per The New York Times.
What’s next: According to the L.A. Times, DeGeneres is taking a self-imposed break for the next year, planning time “to sit and reflect.”
- DeGeneres also told The Hollywood Reporter that she has “an incredible offer” for something in the future that she received a few months before the show ended.