Inside Ellen DeGeneres' UK life after being 'pushed out' of Hollywood

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

Ellen DeGeneres shocked her fans when she said goodbye to the United States in favor of the United Kingdom after the 2024 presidential election. But now the 67-year-old comedian's new life in the UK with her wife Portia de Rossi, 52, is coming into clearer focus. Late last month, DeGeneres surprised the audience at the Cheltenham Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, England, with an unplanned Q&A session, according to Us Weekly. Although she painted a picture of an idyllic life in the countryside, DeGeneres also admitted she was feeling 'bored' after being 'pushed out' of the spotlight in the wake of bullying controversies on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which ultimately led to the firing of three top producers on the series, before it came to an end in May 2022.
She spoke about her new home in the Cotswolds, the largely rural area is South West England — about an hour and a half from London by train — where she and de Rossi initially bought a home, Kitesbridge Farm, in 2024 for around $20 million. The couple later put it on the market for $30 million and moved into a 10,000-square-foot home nearby named Hiaven, which they purchased for $26 million. 'It's absolutely beautiful,' DeGeneres reportedly said of the UK, adding, 'Everything here is better.' She continued, adding, 'Everything you see is charming, and it's just a simpler way of life.'
Since moving across the pond, DeGeneres has reportedly fallen in love with the rural nature of the Cotswolds, and she regularly documents herself riding her lawnmower and feeding her chickens and sheep on Instagram. 'It's a different lifestyle for her,' a source told Us Weekly. They added that the former talk show host was able to be 'chill' and at ease in her adopted home. The insider added that people close to the Finding Nemo voice actor 'have never seen her happier.' But DeGeneres, who recently sparked rumors that she and de Rossi might move back to the US , also indicated that she may be itching to get back on stage and in front of a camera.
Last month, Deadline reported that the comedian had signed with the high-profile talent agency WME after seemingly abandoning her Hollywood prospects last year when her longtime CAA agent Eddy Yablans left that agency in December, though he only transitioned to working as her manager. DeGeneres said goodbye to the US two years after her eponymous talk show came to an end , and four years after an investigation into sexual harassment and misconduct claims on the show ended with three senior producers being fired. The stand-up star, who had been haunted by anonymous claims of behind-the-scenes bullying for years before the accusations erupted into public view, later delivered a public apology on camera when her show returned after the investigation in September 2020. But even though the show continued for a couple more years, the insider claimed that DeGeneres felt as if she had been 'pushed out' of her Hollywood circles due to the controversy.
'The investigation into her show was a major blow ,' they alleged, and a second insider claimed that 'Ellen feels very burned by how the world turned on her.' During her Q&A in Cheltenham, DeGeneres said she misses 'a lot' of her experiences from hosting The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and she admitted she 'would love to do that again,' according to the BBC. 'I do like my chickens here, but I am a little bit bored,' she told the English broadcaster Richard Bacon during the on-stage conversation. Both women were now without any significant work, as an insider noted that ' Portia quit acting a long time ago , so she wasn't leaving her career. She was already scaling back.' During her Q&A, DeGeneres said she wasn't sure what her next move would be, though she was 'very carefully' planning it out.
She took that same deliberate approach when it came to moving to the UK. Although she and her wife appeared to make a quick break with the US after the 2024 presidential election, an insider told Us Weekly that DeGeneres and de Rossi had been considering the move for some time and had been scoping out potential homes for a move across the Atlantic. 'When they found the right place, they jumped on it,' the insider said. They noted that privacy was paramount for the couple, but they seem to have had positive experiences when opening up with locals.
'[Ellen and Portia] have interesting things to say,' another source told the publication. 'They were friendly to local people and wanted to live normal lives, but were nervous of any press attention.' A Great Tew resident who had only a passing acquaintance with DeGeneres and de Rossi added that 'everyone who has spent time with them seems to suggest they are very nice, good company and genuinely committed to making England their home.' Despite DeGeneres' A-list status in Hollywood, many of the people living near her reportedly don't even know who she is, though a source joked that 'horsey people — and there are a lot of them around here — don't watch afternoon TV.'
However, the first insider noted that the couple have gotten friendly with English stars including Jeremy Clarkson and James Corden, who lives nearby in Great Tew and celebrated de Rossi's birthday with them over dinner in February. And even though the UK is now their home base, DeGeneres and de Rossi have still traveled back to the US multiple times since their move, so they are still able to see their close friends and family back home. According to the sources, the stars have made a habit of having lunch on Sundays at the history Falkland Arms pub, which dates back to the 16th century. 'It's a maze of cozy nooks and crannies, shadowy and often dimly lit with low ceilings and a hearty atmosphere,' one customer said, adding that it may appeal to DeGeneres and de Rossi because they 'can easily slip in unnoticed.'
The couple also regularly drop by the exclusive members-only club Soho Farmhouse when they're looking for a more upscale experience. Although DeGeneres and de Rossi have taken to their new life in the UK, it has still been a cultural shock in some ways. Things aren't as 'luxurious' as they were for the two in Southern California,' the insider noted, adding that they now have to do things that were once handled by household staff, including placing their garbage bins at the end of their long driveway. During her Q&A, DeGeneres admitted that The winter is tough,' though she said she 'still enjoyed it because we're not used to seasons in California.' They also allegedly suffered an embarrassing culture clash when their penchant for large vehicles — in this case their Land Rovers, a Discovery and a vintage Defender — were too wide and heavy to drive over the bridge between their home and town.
That forced them to either take the 'long way around to the village — a three-mile trip,' or to just walk into town, which the source admitted was 'probably quicker.' But taking the scenic route or turning their trips into town into intimate strolls may be part of how the couple are learning to relax since moving to the UK. 'There's less work stress and more shared activities,' the source said. 'It's a calmer Ellen, so she's easier to be around. And Portia is really enjoying it.' During her chat with audience members in Cheltenham, DeGeneres reportedly said she was 'always happiest on stage,' adding that it is 'the best feeling,' so she may be itching to find a way back to performing for audiences. She even admitted that she would 'love' to host another talk show in the UK, she admitted that the proliferation of phones and the decreased attention spans of audiences might make such an idea impossible. But the first insider said that DeGeneres is still 'embracing this reinvention.' 'She's left the Hollywood drama behind for a more peaceful life,' they said.