American comedian Ellen DeGeneres has decided to end her long-running daytime talk show in 2022.
“When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged — and, as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” DeGeneres told reporters on Wednesday.
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” has won 64 daytime Emmy Awards and is currently in its 18 season. The show will wrap after Season 19. DeGeneres will discuss her decision in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, scheduled to air on Thursday.
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” is produced by Warner Bros. Television.
The news of DeGeneres moving on from her talk show comes after a pandemic-impacted season. The show went on a brief hiatus when DeGeneres was diagnosed with Covid-19 in December. Staffing changes were also made last summer after some producers came under scrutiny for creating a toxic work environment.
When her show returned in September for the Season 18 premiere, DeGeneres spoke about the negative reports saying that she was taking “responsibility” and that she was “sorry” anyone had a negative experience behind the scenes.
DeGeneres added that the drama surrounding her show isn’t the reason for her departure, but it definitely impacted her.