Ellen DeGeneres set to address being cancelled in new show

Ellen DeGeneres is set to address being cancelled in her last-ever comedy special, after being the subject of ongoing controversies surrounding staff treatment.

The former Ellen DeGeneres Show host is returning to Netflix for a second and final stand-up show, six years after her last comedy special on the platform, Relatable.

In a statement on Instagram about the upcoming one-off show, DeGeneres said: “To answer the questions everyone is asking me – Yes, I’m going to talk about it. Yes, this is my last special. Yes, Portia really is that pretty in real life.”

It won’t be the first time the talk show host has spoken out about her long-running series ending. In April, the comedian joked about being “kicked out of show business” during the opening night of her stand-up tour in Los Angeles. 

The Ellen DeGeneres Show was the subject of controversy in 2020 when former employees told BuzzFeed News of alleged racist comments and a “toxic” environment on set. 

Several former and current staff members claimed that DeGeneres’ optimistic and happy personality was “bulls**t” that “only happens when the cameras are on”. There were also allegations of racism, bullying and harassment being rampant behind the scenes of the daytime talk show. 

There were also claims of sexual misconduct. After an internal investigation, three producers were fired, and DeGeneres made an emotional apology to staff.

She then voluntarily pulled the plug on the show in May 2021, saying at the time that she is a “creative person” who constantly needs to “be challenged”, and the show was “not a challenge any more”.

Outside of the upcoming Netflix special, DeGeneres is set to kick off a multi-city stand-up tour, starting on 19 June in San Diego, California. 

Ellen DeGeneres; upcoming comedy show is set to arrive on Netflix later this year.