DeGeneres says controversy did not drive decision to end show

Ellen DeGeneres said the controversy surrounding the allegedly toxic work culture of her daytime talk show wasn’t behind her decision to end the program, NBC News reported Thursday.

In an interview with NBC’s “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, DeGeneres told Guthrie that recent controversy surrounding her show “Ellen” wasn’t the main reason why she ended her program, citing the administration of former President Trump and changes in society as the reasons why. 

Here in LA as @TheEllenShow says goodbye. Our exclusive airs Thursday on @TODAYshow pic.twitter.com/4DVRvj8yal

— Savannah Guthrie (@SavannahGuthrie) May 12, 2021

“There was a different president, and it was a different time, and there was a lot of just, hatred and anger and stuff, that I was just like, ‘This is it,’ ” DeGeneres told Guthrie. 

DeGeneres also told Guthrie that if the controversy over the show’s workplace culture had affected her decision, she wouldn’t have “come back this year.” 

DeGeneres announced Wednesday that her Emmy-winning daytime talk show will come to an end in 2022, ending its 19-year-run, which started in 2003. 

Multiple former staffers on the show said they were mistreated during their time working for DeGeneres, prompting WarnerMedia to launch an investigation that led to three top producers leaving the show. 

DeGeneres has since apologized to her staff.