DeGeneres told her fans that her decision to end the show did not come lightly, and that she had been discussing the idea with her wife, Portia de Rossi, for a while.
She continued, "I want you to know that I’ve thought a lot about this decision. I sat with it for a while. I meditated on it. I talked to Portia. I talked to myself… The point is, I need to take a break from talking."
"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."
The comedian and actress had previously shared that she is ready to move on to the next challenge in her career. She told The Hollywood Reporter, “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 has been hosting The Ellen DeGeneres Show continuously since 2003. She uses the show as a platform to bring her famous comedy to daytime television, showcasing celebrity interviews, musical performances and interviews with ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Despite the show’s success, DeGeneres had actually been considering ending the series for some time now. In fact, she first wanted to end the show a few years ago, after season 16.
Her producers and show executives convinced DeGeneres to keep the show running longer, and she signed to stay on through 19 seasons.
Several have questioned whether DeGeneres’ decision to end the show now is at all related to last year’s claims that she fostered a toxic workplace environment. In the summer of 2020, several former employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show revealed a culture of inequality and even racism in the show’s workplace.
Ellen has since apologized for her lack of awareness in this issue, and stated that her decision to end the show after its 19th season has nothing to do with last year’s accusations.
"If I was quitting the show because of that, I wouldn't have come back this season," she told The Hollywood Reporter.