Ellen DeGeneres just made her first public appearance since moving to the UK earlier this year.
The former talk show host and comedian sat down for a chat on Sunday, where she openly admitted that her decision to leave the US was, in large part, because of President Donald Trump.
Ellen DeGeneres confirms moving to UK because of Donald Trump
During her appearance at Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, broadcaster Richard Bacon asked her outright if Trump’s re-election was the reason for her move; Ellen didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” she replied.
After The Ellen DeGeneres Show was cancelled in 2024, DeGeneres wrapped up her ‘final stand-up’ tour across the US. Around that time, she purchased a home in the Cotswolds, a picturesque stretch that runs through Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.
Speaking with Bacon, Ellen explained that she and her wife, Portia DeRossi, originally planned to spend just three or four months in the UK at what was supposed to be a “part-time house.”
But the plan changed almost immediately. “We got here the day before the election and woke up to all these texts from friends with crying emojis,” Ellen recalled. “I realized, ‘He got in.’ And we both decided right then—we’re staying.”
Ellen also mentioned that she and Portia have talked about renewing their vows or even getting married again in England. She said the idea came from anxieties about the increasing efforts in the US to restrict LGBTQ+ rights. “America can still be a scary place for people to be themselves,” she noted.
Glimpse into Ellen DeGeneres’ new life in the UK
Since the move, Ellen has been sharing snapshots of her rural life on social media. She posted videos of the farm animals she used to own, though she ended up selling them after repeated escape attempts.
Describing her new home, Ellen said, “We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages, the architecture—everything here is charming. Life just feels simpler.” She added, “It’s clean. Everything, really—how animals are treated, how polite people are. I just love it here.”
“We moved in November, which wasn’t ideal, but I saw snow for the first time in my life. We love it. Portia brought her horses here, I have chickens, and we had sheep for about two weeks.”
Ellen also addressed past accusations from a former staff member, who claimed the set of her show was a toxic work environment. While she admitted she can be “very blunt,” Ellen dismissed the allegations as “clickbait.”
