Honestly, it feels like forever since we saw Ellen DeGeneres dancing through a studio aisle. After nineteen seasons of "Be Kind," the music stopped, the lights dimmed, and one of the most powerful women in Hollywood basically vanished into the English fog. But if you’ve been keeping up with the latest news of Ellen DeGeneres, you know her "retirement" has been anything but quiet.
She's currently living a life that involves more chickens than cameras. Well, mostly.
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Since her 2024 Netflix special For Your Approval—which she swore was her final bow—things have taken a sharp turn. She didn't just leave show business; she left the country. In a move that caught everyone off guard, Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi, packed up their lives and moved to the Cotswolds in the United Kingdom. Why? It wasn't just for the tea and scones.
The Cotswolds Shift: What Most People Get Wrong
People think she moved because she was "canceled." That’s a part of it, sure. But the real catalyst was the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election.
Ellen has been very vocal lately about her decision. Speaking at an event at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, England, she told the crowd that she and Portia were already in the UK the day before the election. When they woke up to a flood of "crying emojis" from friends back home, they decided right then and there: "We're staying here."
It’s a massive change.
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She went from a $70 million Montecito estate to a £15 million (roughly $19 million) property in rural Oxfordshire. Instead of A-list celebrities, she’s now surrounded by sheep. She even posted a video of herself on a lawnmower, looking more like a local farmer than a daytime icon. She says it’s a "simpler, calmer life," but let's be real—Ellen is never truly idle.
The 2026 Return to California?
Here is where it gets interesting. Despite saying she was "done" with the industry, her actions are telling a different story lately.
In January 2026, news broke that Ellen purchased a staggering $27.4 million mansion back in Montecito. You don't drop nearly thirty million dollars on a "home base" if you plan on staying in the UK forever. Rumors are swirling that the British winter—which she’s admitted was a bit of a shock—might be wearing on her.
- She missed her friends.
- The Cotswolds are beautiful, but they aren't exactly a hub for a woman who spent decades at the center of the universe.
- She’s been spotted back in California with her signature blonde hair, ditching the gray look she experimented with after the move.
The "latest news of Ellen DeGeneres" isn't just about real estate, though. It's about a potential comeback. She recently signed with WME (William Morris Endeavor), a powerhouse talent agency. You don't sign with WME to just watch your chickens grow.
Why the "Mean" Label Still Stings
During her "In Conversation" tour in the UK, Ellen was surprisingly raw. She talked about how hurtful it was to be labeled "the most hated woman in America" following the 2020 toxic workplace scandal.
"I got kicked out of show business for being mean," she joked on stage, but you could tell there was a sting behind the sarcasm. She’s maintained that she’s a kind, empathetic person who simply didn't know everything that was happening on her own set. Critics, like those at The Guardian, haven't been as forgiving, calling her recent comedy special a "study in evasion."
It’s a classic Hollywood standoff: the star who wants to move on versus a public that isn't quite ready to forget.
A Move Driven by Rights and Reality
There’s a deeper layer to her move that doesn’t get enough play in the tabloids. Ellen has expressed genuine fear regarding the future of LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. She’s mentioned that if same-sex marriage were ever overturned by the Supreme Court, she and Portia are already prepared to get remarried in the UK.
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It’s not just about politics; it’s about protection.
What This Means for You (The Actionable Part)
If you’re a fan—or even a critic—watching this play out, there are a few things to keep an eye on as we move through 2026.
- Watch the Real Estate: Keep an eye on her Montecito listings. If she starts selling off her UK properties, a full-time Hollywood return is imminent.
- Follow the Production Credits: Even if she stays off-screen, Ellen is a prolific producer. Her project Sing You Home (a movie adaptation) is still in the works.
- Check the Tour Dates: She’s been doing "In Conversation" events. These are often "litmus tests" to see if an audience is ready for a bigger return.
The latest news of Ellen DeGeneres shows a woman in transition. She’s wealthy enough to never work again, but she’s clearly "bored," as she told broadcaster Richard Bacon. Whether she’s mowing lawns in Oxfordshire or plotting a new digital show from California, the Ellen era isn't over—it's just changing frequencies.
Stay tuned to her social media for those random lawnmower videos; they usually precede a big announcement.