Once known as the smiling face of American daytime TV, Ellen DeGeneres shocked fans when she revealed she had quietly relocated to the UK in late 2023. The reason? Politics, personal peace, and a strong desire to live somewhere that simply felt kinder.
In a candid public appearance at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, England, Ellen confirmed what had been whispered in entertainment circles for months: she left the United States the morning after Donald Trump was re-elected President. But her decision was about much more than politics. It was about identity, fear, simplicity—and a second chance.
“We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis,” Ellen told the crowd. “And I was like, ‘He got in.’ And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’”
A New Home, A Different Life
Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi, originally bought their house in the picturesque Cotswolds, thinking it would be a part-time escape. But within 24 hours of Trump’s re-election, it became their permanent refuge.
Ellen said of her new surroundings:
“It’s absolutely beautiful, we’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty… The villages and the towns and the architecture, everything you see is charming. And it’s just a simpler way of life.”
She traded red carpets for green pastures, paparazzi for chickens (and briefly, sheep), and the relentless pace of American celebrity for the quiet of English countryside mornings. The couple even brought Portia’s horses along for the transatlantic ride.
Ellen added:
“We love it here, Portia flew her horses here, and I have chickens… and we had sheep for about two weeks.”
The Politics of Identity
Though Ellen’s decision to move came in reaction to Trump’s political comeback, it was deeply rooted in the culture war surrounding LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.
She said:
“The Baptist Church in America is trying to reverse gay marriage, They’re trying to literally stop it from happening in the future and possibly reverse it.”
Ellen and Portia, who married in 2008, are now considering renewing their vows in the UK if same-sex marriage rights are reversed in the U.S. It’s not just about legality—it’s about safety and recognition. She spoke openly about the ongoing struggle of being gay in Hollywood, saying many actors remain closeted out of fear.
she told the audience:
“If it was better, all these other people… that I know are gay, they’d be out, but they’re not, because it’s still a problem. People are still scared.”
The End of “Nice” and a New Beginning
Ellen also reflected on the abrupt and controversial end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which ended in 2022 after reports of a toxic workplace culture. The fallout was intense. Headlines labeled her as “mean,” contradicting her long-time on-air mantra: “Be kind to one another.”
Ellen said:
“No matter what, any article that came up, it was like, ‘She’s mean, It’s as simple as, I’m a direct person, and I’m very blunt, and I guess sometimes that means that… I’m mean?”
She expressed frustration with the double standards placed on women in entertainment.
“How dare us have any kind of mood… You can’t be anything other than nice and sweet and kind and submissive and complacent.”
Despite the hurt, Ellen insists she knows who she is. Moving abroad wasn’t just about escaping controversy; it was about reclaiming joy.
she joked:
“I do like my chickens, But I’m a little bit bored.”
While she doesn’t know exactly what comes next, one thing is clear: Ellen DeGeneres is no longer trying to fit into a version of success defined by ratings, applause, or headlines. She’s chasing something far more rare, contentment.