Ellen DeGeneres' Long-Running Talk Show Is Coming to an End Amid Tanking Ratings
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will be ending her long-running show in 2022 as her show’s ratings tanked this season.
She informed her staff of her decision on Tuesday and will discuss the news Thursday with Oprah Winfrey on “Ellen,” The Hollywood Reporter reported.
“When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged,” DeGeneres told the outlet.
“And as great as this show it, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore.”
DeGeneres has thought about leaving the show in the past; her actress wife, Portia de Rossi, encouraged her to move on from the show in 2018, according to a profile in The New York Times.
While she ultimately signed on for three more seasons, she told her team that this contract was her last.
DeGeneres makes at least $50 million a year through the contract, USA Today reported.
“Although all good things must come to an end, you still have hope that truly great things never will,” Mike Darnell, president of unscripted TV for Warner Bros., told The Hollywood Reporter.
He said the show was “an absolute phenomenon” and established itself “as the premiere destination for both superstars and incredible heartfelt human-interest stories.”
The show’s ratings fell 44 percent this season, averaging 1.4 million viewers compared with 2.5 million viewers at this time last season, according to USA Today.
“Ellen” has been on the rocks this past year amid allegations of toxic workplace conditions and mistreatment.
Reports of the show’s toxic work environment, including allegations of bullying, racism and verbal abuse, made headlines after former employees came forward to BuzzFeed last July.
DeGeneres told The Hollywood Reporter that the allegations were not the reason she had decided to end the show.
“My whole being is about making people happy. And with the talk show, all I cared about was spreading kindness and compassion and everything I stand for was being attacked. So, it destroyed me, honestly. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t,” she told the outlet.
“It was very hurtful to me. I mean, very.
“But if I was quitting the show because of that, I wouldn’t have come back this season.”
DeGeneres also responded to the allegations in September at the start of the show’s 18th season.
“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,” she said.
“I know that I’m in a position of privilege and power, and I realize that with that comes responsibility, and I take responsibility for what happens at my show.”
“Ellen” premiered on Sept. 8, 2003, and will run beyond 3,000 shows with 2,400 celebrity interviews.
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