‘I’m done’
Ellen DeGeneres has reportedly revealed the date she will leave showbusiness.
DeGeneres returned to the stage as a stand-up comedian following the conclusion of her once popular eponymous talk show.
The show, which ran for 19 years until May 2022 came under fire in 2020 as the 66-year-old host was accused of perpetuating a ‘toxic work environment’.
Employees alleged they had suffered racism, sexual misconduct and intimidation at the hands of executive producers.
Some employees also feared taking medical leave due to the risk of penalisation. DeGeneres apologised at the time, but the show never recovered.
Back in April, she told an audience how she’d become ‘the most hated person in America’. As written in The Guardian, DeGeneres reportedly said: “I got kicked out of show business. There’s no mean people in show business.
“The hate went on for a long time and I would try to avoid looking at the news… the ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind.”
She went on to say it was the second time she was ‘kicked out’ of the industry after her 90s sitcom was cancelled after she revealed she was gay.
She said: “For those of you keeping score, this is the second time I’ve been kicked out of show business… Eventually they’re going to kick me out for a third time because I’m mean, old, and gay.”
Now, DeGeneres has a Netflix program called ‘Last Stand… Up Tour’.
Last month she revealed that at the conclusion of the tour, she will leave showbusiness.
During a Q&A section of the show, an audience member asked her if she would return to films or theatre when the run had ended.
She replied: “Um, no. This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”
Now, in an Instagram post celebrating her wedding anniversary, DeGeneres revealed the end date.
In a caption alongside a picture of her and her wife, DeGeneres wrote: “I will be celebrating my 16th wedding anniversary on the 16th of August in Minneapolis filming my final Netflix special. What a day!!!
“I’m so lucky to be loved by the most amazing person I’ve ever met. I love you Portia. You’re my everything.”
Fans may have seen DeGeneres for the last time on stage or screen, unless she goes back on that decision.
Earlier in the year, she spoke about how hurt she was at how her TV show ended.
She said: “I’m making jokes about what happened to me, but it was devastating, really. It took a long time for me to want to do anything again. I just hated how the show ended.”
