ELLEN DeGeneres will QUIT her talk show after 19 seasons but insisted it's not due to "toxic" workplace claims.
Last year, a multitude of crew members and guests spoke out about the treatment they received from the talk show host, claiming she promoted sexual harassment, bullying, and racism.
Ellen, 63, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter, saying: "It’s going to be really hard on the last day, but I also know it’s time.
"I’m a creative person, and when you’re a creative person you constantly need to be challenged, which is why I decided to host the Oscars or why I decided to go back to stand up when I didn’t think I would.
"I just needed something to challenge me. And as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore.
"I need something new to challenge me."
She told the news to her staff on Tuesday and plans to discuss it with Oprah Winfrey during her Thursday episode.
Ellen will be quitting after her 19th season finishes airing in 2022.
A source close to the situation had revealed to DailyMail.com that Ellen and producers were set to make the announcement on Wednesday because she "has had enough and told her team she's done."
The source claimed: "She's promised one more season after this one and will exit at the end of the 2021/2022 season.
"The ratings have tanked and have been truly appalling this year and Ellen knows her time is up.
"The show has bled viewers since the toxic environment around Ellen and her show was made public.'"
According to the source, ratings in New York City and Chicago are down 40 percent, while in Los Angeles she's lost 59 percent of her viewers.
She's also lost 32 percent of her Philadelphia viewers and 50 percent of her San Francisco ones.
This seems to mark a whole new chapter in Ellen's life as she also recently sold her Los Angeles mansion.
Ellen's most recent season kicked off in September 2020 and has been losing viewers ever since.
The decline in viewing figures comes after its 18th season opener achieved the highest ratings for an “Ellen” premiere in four years.
Many tuned in to see the 63-year-old host issue an apology to her staff after the show and its host were hit with allegations of misconduct and creating a “toxic workplace.”
In her opening monologue, the Finding Nemo star addressed the string of allegations levelled at her by former and current employees.
She said: "If you're watching because you love me, thank you, if you're watching because you don't love me, welcome.
"As you may have heard, this summer there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show and then there was an investigation."
She also claimed that they had made the "necessary changes" and that they are now "starting a new chapter."
Ellen, who is married to actress Portia de Rossi, further addressed that the backlash gave way to claims that she is not "who I appear to be because I became known as the be-kind lady."
She explained: "Being known as the be-kind lady is a tricky position to be in […] The truth is I am that person that you see on TV, I am also a lot of other things.
"Sometimes I get sad. I get mad. I get anxious. I get frustrated. I get impatient. And I am working on all of that.
"I am a work in progress and I am especially working on that impatience thing."
She continued to tell her audience that her "intention is to always be the best person I can be. And if I've ever let someone down or I've ever hurt their feelings, I am so sorry for that.
"If that's ever the case, I've let myself down and I've hurt myself as well, because I always try to grow as a person."
During the show's absence from screen amid the coronavirus pandemic, numerous former employees accused the program of tolerating everything from bullying and racism to sexual harassment.
Ellen apologized to her staff via e-mail, saying she's "not perfect" following the firing of three top producers.
The comedian spoke to the show's staffers in a video meeting after executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman were ousted amid "toxic" workplace allegations.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ellen said: “I care about each and every one of you. I am grateful for each and every one of you.
I feel like I’ve kind of let the ball drop a bit because I’m focused on the show, I go in and I do the show, and I’ve just let everybody to do their jobs – to run different departments.
"And it just became a well-oiled machine, and I think that is the problem. It’s not a machine. This is people. These are human beings that are working hard every single day to put this together."
She added: "This show would not be what it is without all of you. It’s become the show that it is because of all of you. So if we have forgotten you somehow – any of us – I’m sorry."
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