It's hard to count the number of celebrities who promised to leave the country if Donald Trump was re-elected this month, but counting how many actually made good on their promise is a little easier. As far as we know, the number is, well, one.
The Wrap reported earlier today that comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, have moved to rural England. While they bought their home in the Cotswolds a while ago, they're officially saying goodbye to the United States soon when they put their Montecito estate on the market. Sources close to the couple claim that Trump's re-election was the driving force behind the decision.
Of course, we all watched in recent years as the 66-year-old DeGeneres went from one of the most beloved people on television to suggesting she got "kicked out of show business" in her Netflix comedy special "For Your Approval." The special, which was released in September, is said to be her final performance.
DeGeneres is most noteworthy for hosting her talk show "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" from 2003 until 2022. She won numerous awards for her work, including 30 Daytime Emmys. However, things went a little sour in July 2020. Ten former employees came forward and claimed that things weren't quite as happy behind the scenes as they were in front of the camera.
The staff members called the set "toxic" and made claims of racism, sexual harassment, abuse, fear, microaggression, and intimidation. "That 'be kind' bulls--t only happens when the cameras are on. It's all for show," one of them told BuzzFeed. Before that, podcaster Kevin T. Porter called DeGeneres "one of the meanest people alive" and was shocked when many Twitter (now X) users came forward and shared their own "mean Ellen" stories.
While Warner Bros. conducted an internal investigation, DeGeneres herself sent a memo to her staff stating, "On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' would be a place of happiness -- no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect. Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it's the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show."
But it was too little too late. In July 2024, DeGeneres announced that she was retiring from the entertainment world after the release of her September special. "This is the last time you're going to see me," she said during a standup show in Santa Rosa, California.
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