By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-22 06:21:29 | Updated at 2024-11-24 05:20:37
1 day ago
Ellen DeGeneres ditched the US for the UK to kick off her 'retirement' with wife Portia de Rossi after her career was tarnished by accusations about toxic behavior on her now defunct talk show.
The TV host, 66 and the actress, 51, shocked fans after they were spotted exploring their new stomping ground in rural England - amid reports that they have put their Montecito mansion on the market in response to the 2024 presidential election.
But, according to insiders, the couple had already planned to quit the states before Donald Trump won the election.
'Make no mistake about it. This is Ellen and Portia’s retirement,' an insider told DailyMail.com exclusively. 'Neither one of them have any projects lined up.'
The insider noted that the former talk show heavyweight has been left juggling far less work following accusations that she fostered a toxic workplace on her show's set.
Ellen DeGeneres ditched the US for the UK to kick off her 'retirement' with wife Portia de Rossi after her career was tarnished by accusations about toxic behavior on her talk show
Ellen and Portia have been seen in The Cotswolds, a portion of southwest England that is about 100 miles from London and known as the A-list capital of Britain
'Ellen really felt she had made her mark on the industry, but that was diminished when she was cancelled over her alleged treatment of her staff,' the source added. 'Then to have celebrities call her out one by one was so hurtful.'
Ellen's career plummeted in the wake of accusations about toxic behavior on the set of her eponymous daytime talk show, which aired its last episode on May 26, 2022.
She delved into her persona non grata status on her stand-up special For Your Approval, which was released on Netflix in late September.
The comedian joked that she had been 'kicked out of show business' in the special, which featured material about how she has been spending her time since wrapping up her TV show.
A second source confirmed that the change in attitudes toward her mixed with the recent election results was enough to make Ellen flee the US.
'With all the ill will towards her, she was looking to move away even before the election,' the source began. 'And as things panned out with Trump winning, she is glad she is making the move and going to be away from the US.'
The source continued: 'She has the one person that still loves her, Portia, and she is ready to leave everyone who in her mind left her hanging out to dry. If she considers it her retirement, so be it.
'An enormous part of the US doesn't like her because of her sexual preferences, and others were turned off by her persona, which some perceived to be fake in the wake of the work place allegations.
According to insiders, the couple had already planned to quit the states before Donald Trump won the election
'With all the ill will towards her, she was looking to move away before the election,' a source said. 'And as things panned out with Trump winning, she is glad she is making the move'
'For Ellen, its easier to move away from her problems then to confront them. It seems like a sad end to what she once was in people's minds.'
Ellen and Portia have settled down in The Cotswolds, a portion of southwest England that is about 100 miles from London and known as the A-list capital of Britain.
Their new neighborhood is also home to a number of A-listers, including David and Victoria Beckham — who frequently share snaps from their idyllic rural life — Kate Moss, Patrick Stewart, Elizabeth Hurley and Stella McCartney, among others.
The area — which played host to raunchy new Disney series Rivals — is even home to royalty, as King Charles owns Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.
Hugh Grant has been rumored for years to have a small hideaway in the area.
A previous study found that the region is home to more stars per acre than anywhere outside London — with around 50 celebrities with bolt-holes in the Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire countryside.
The area is popular with celebrities looking to avoid the hustle and bustle of London, which would make sense for Ellen and Portia, as they had already tried to avoid Los Angeles by moving out to Santa Barbara County's Montecito, about 75 miles from LA.
Last week, the pair were spotted visiting Jeremy Clarkson's pub in the area.
The Cotswolds is a beautiful region known for its picturesque villages and sometimes called the 'Heart of England' (pictured cottages at Castle Combe in Cotswolds, England)
Though many celebrities threatened to leave the US in the face of a Trump win, most haven't followed through (Trump pictured on November 1 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
The move appears to have inspired a makeover too, with Ellen ditching her familiar blonde for a head full of brunette tresses.
Though many American celebrities have threatened to leave the US in the face of a Trump win, most haven't followed through.
Stars including Cher, Barbra Streisand and Sharon Stone have all said they were considering leaving the US if Trump won, though it's not clear if any of them will actually do so.
America Ferrera is eyeing up a move to the UK, while Eva Longoria has relocated to Spain, though she clarified that, despite her disapproval of Trump he was not the reason for the move.
