Comedian and former daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres made her first public appearance in the United Kingdom on Sunday, revealing that the re-election of Donald Trump drove her decision to leave the United States. The 67-year-old television icon appeared at a live event in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where she shared candid reflections on her move across the Atlantic.
Originally intended as a part-time escape, the relocation quickly turned permanent after the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. “We originally planned to spend just a few months a year here,” DeGeneres told the audience. “We bought what we thought would be a part-time house. But we arrived the day before the 2024 election and woke up to a flood of texts with crying emojis. I knew then—he got in. And we just said, ‘We’re staying here.’”
Describing life in the United Kingdom as “just better,” DeGeneres expressed a sense of relief and peace since settling in England. She noted the contrasting social and political climate, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights. DeGeneres, who married actress Portia de Rossi in 2008, shared that they have been considering renewing their vows in the UK, according to the BBC.
“It’s a kinder place,” she said, adding that it feels “less scary” compared to the increasingly hostile political rhetoric in the U.S. The Emmy-winning host also touched on the backlash she faced in the final years of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which ended in 2022 after 19 seasons. The show, once celebrated for its feel-good content and celebrity interviews, came under fire following reports of a toxic workplace culture.
“I can be very blunt,” DeGeneres admitted during the event. However, she dismissed many of the sensational headlines as overblown and misleading. “Clickbait,” she called them, emphasizing that much of the public narrative surrounding her departure from daytime television was exaggerated.
Now finding a new rhythm in her post-talk-show life, DeGeneres seems content in her adopted country. While she didn’t mention any plans to return to television or the U.S. permanently, her comments suggest a deep disillusionment with the direction of American politics and a newfound appreciation for life abroad.
“I knew then—he got in. And we just said, ‘We’re staying here,’” she reiterated, underscoring how a political turning point became a personal one as well.