Ellen DeGeneres to end talk show after 19 years, says ‘it’s not challenging anymore’

Ellen DeGeneres, American comedian and TV host, has announced plans to end her talk show after almost two decades. 

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporters on Wednesday, DeGeneres said the show has become less challenging over the years.

“When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” she said.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show, a daily mix of comedy, interviews, and human interest stories, was first aired in September 2003. It will now come to an end in 2022 after its 19th season.

She explained that the decision wasn’t impromptu but an action dictated by the contract signed.

“I was going to stop after season 16. That was going to be my last season and they wanted to sign for four more years and I said I’d sign for maybe one,” the 63-year-old said.

“They were saying there was no way to sign for one. ‘We can’t do that with the affiliates and the stations need more of a commitment.’

“So, we [settled] on three more years and I knew that would be my last. That was the plan all along.”

The announcement is coming barely a month after the show aired its 3000th episode.

DeGeneres was said to have also revealed the decision to her staff on Tuesday.

Last year, DeGeneres came under intense criticism for fostering a toxic work environment around the production of the show.

The accusation resulted in the dismissal of three senior producers and an on-air apology from the host herself.

Commenting on the incident, the television host explained that the allegations had not influenced her decision to end the show.

“If I was quitting the show because of that, I wouldn’t have come back this season,” she said.

“It broke my heart when I learned that people here had anything other than a fantastic experience – that people were hurt in any way.”