Ellen DeGeneres has permanently relocated to an estate equal parts fairytale and rock star in England’s idyllic Cotswolds region. She completed this momentous move with her better half, Portia de Rossi, following the conclusion of her career-defining, talk-show-staple run. The action comes on the heels of DeGeneres’ “last comedy tour,” a farewell trip across the United States. On the tour, she addressed the old controversies that have hung over her career like a dark cloud.
The move seems to be driven, at least in part, by the US political climate. DeGeneres said Donald Trump’s election was the most significant reason behind her choice to depart. She and de Rossi had touched down in the UK only a day before the election. Instead, the reception they received from friends back home was crushing.
“We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in.’ And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’” – Ellen DeGeneres
DeGeneres shared how relieved she feels in her new surroundings, claiming that the UK is much more inviting to her than other places. She remarked, “Everything here is just better,” signaling her desire for a fresh start away from the controversies that clouded her final years on television.
Once she came under fire in 2020 for allegedly creating a toxic work environment, which drew major criticisms of her character, everything began to fall apart. In the midst of her own national comedy tour, she faced down these accusations head-on. “No matter what, any article that came up, it was like, ‘She’s mean’,” she reflected. DeGeneres emphasized her straightforward nature, explaining, “I’m a direct person, and I’m very blunt, and I guess sometimes that means that … I’m mean?”
She went on to explain her professional and personal concerns about society’s acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in America. “I wish we were at a place where it was not scary for people to be who they are,” she said. “So until we’re there, I think there’s a hard place to say we have huge progress.”
DeGeneres has expressed interest in someday wed.de Rossi, though not while she’s still in the UK. She looks forward to new adventures as she begins a new chapter with her family and exciting ventures in her career. She spoke about the ending of her talk show, which she said was “definitely a rough way to go out.” Judging by her expression, it’s obvious she intends to keep pushing ahead.
In her first public appearance since departing the US, DeGeneres addressed audiences at Cheltenham’s Everyman theatre. She called her new city “gorgeous” and said she was looking forward to starting this new and thrilling phase in her life.