After 19 seasons and over 3,000 shows, the Ellen DeGeneres Show has finally come to an end. The show, which began in 2003, officially concluded this year. DeGeneres’s final episode aired May 26, and guest hosts took over until June 3.
As Time reported, DeGeneres has openly stated that the show “no longer challenges her creatively and she came to the decision ahead of signing a three-season contract extension in 2018. Time also reported that, “In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, host Ellen DeGeneres said her choice to exit the show was years in the making…Ratings have plummeted after allegations surfaced accusing DeGeneres and others of creating a toxic work environment on set.”
The Ellen Show has a long history of bringing in guest stars, playing silly games with her guests and giving out gifts and money. One of the featured games on the show was “Make it Rain” where contestants answered trivia questions while standing under umbrellas – six of which were filled with water and one with money. If contestants answered correctly, they were allowed to pull down an umbrella of their choice. If they pulled down the one with the money, they were allowed to keep all of it.
Throughout her last week, DeGeneres brought back many guest stars, including celebrities such as actor Zac Efron, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, singer Justin Timberlake and comedian Kate McKinnon. She also brought back some of her child stars, such as cousins Sophia Grace and Rosie who first appeared on the show as five and eight-year-olds in 2011.
The final episode featured singers P!NK, Billie Eilish and actress Jennifer Aniston before the show concluded with Ellen sitting on a couch in front of a television, the same way she started her show back in 2003.
“If I’ve done anything in the past 19 years, I hope I’ve inspired you to be yourself. Your true, authentic self,” Ellen DeGeneres said in her show’s final monologue. “If they’re brave enough to tell you who they are, be brave enough to support them.”
Now, DeGeneres is continuing working on “The Ellen Fund,” which inspires hope by supporting global conservation efforts for endangered species. This fund was given to DeGeneres by her wife, Portia de Rossi, in 2018. Follow them on Instagram @theellenfund.
