Ellen DeGeneres is to end her talk show in 2022 after 19 years.
The 63-year-old TV presenter has confirmed the upcoming 19th series of ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ will be her last, and she is “forever grateful” to her fans for “changing her life” by watching the programme.
In a pre-recorded video from her show, shared on her Twitter account, she told her virtual audience: “I am announcing that next season, season 19, is going to be my last season.
“So, the past 18 years, you have to know have changed my life.
“You have all changed my life.
“I’m forever grateful to all of you for watching, for laughing and dancing, sometimes crying.
“This show has been the greatest experience of my life, and I owe it all to you.
“So, thank you.”
Ellen – who is married to Portia de Rossi – pondered the decision “for a while”, but also admitted that when she penned a three-season extension two years ago she knew then the 19th series would be her last.
She added: “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.
“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.
“Nineteen is a great number. The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote, and I believe women should be allowed to vote.
“You may wonder why I’ve decided to end after 19 seasons and the truth is I always trust my instincts.
“My instinct told me it’s time.
“I truly have felt like next season was the right time to end this amazing chapter.
“I promise you that we are going to have a fantastic final season.
“It will be a season where I truly get to say, thank you.
“Every day will be a celebration.”
It comes after Ellen recently praised Portia for helping to “keep [her] going” last year after former employees of her talk show accused some of the show’s producers – who have since been sacked – of creating a “toxic” work environment.
She said: “It broke my heart; I couldn’t have gone through everything I went through without her.
“It was a horrible time in my life, and she was a rock. She kept me going and tried to help me put things in perspective.”
In September, Ellen addressed the “toxic” work environment allegations during the season 18 premiere.
READ: Ellen Degeneres Promises A ‘New Chapter’ In Opening Monologue Addressing ‘Toxic’ Allegations
She told viewers: “All right, let’s get to it. As you may have heard, this summer there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show. 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 am in a position of privilege and power and I realise that with that comes responsibility, and I take responsibility at what happens at my show.
“This is ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’. I am Ellen DeGeneres. We have had a lot of conversations over the last few weeks about the show, our workplace and what we want for the future. We have made the necessary changes and today, we are starting a new chapter.”
‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ first aired in September 2003.
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