After 19 seasons on-air, Ellen DeGeneres was spotted decompressing on her post-show trip to Africa.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which has become one of the most well-known daytime talk shows over the past 19 years, wrapped its final episode on May 26th.
Ellen and Portia were seen vacationing in Morocco after the finale
The comedian and her wife Portia de Rossi took their post-show trip to the city of Marrakesh, Morocco. According to Page Six, the two were seen grabbing a bite to eat and holding hands while taking in the sights of the city.
Ellen had previously stated that after wrapping her show, she planned to spend time at the science and education campus she opened that helps to save wild gorillas. The Ellen Fund, which started in 2018 as a gift to Ellen from Portia, supports the global conservation efforts for endangered animals.
When it comes to closing the curtain on her long-running talk show, Ellen has been quiet about the emotional ordeal. A source revealed to Page Six that she had been crying a lot prior to the finale and only friends and family were present in the audience at the final taping.
Ellen looks back on her 10 seasons with The Ellen Show
Ellen’s NBC daytime talk show, which started in 2003, had undoubtedly touched many lives during its time on-air.
After a scandal last year that included multiple staff members of the show telling their stories about the toxic work conditions, the show took an extreme dip in ratings and viewership. Despite Ellen’s apologies and claims to have been unaware, she announced in May of 2021 that Season 19 would officially be the last of the series.
To commemorate the impact of the show, Ellen shared some of the most groundbreaking moments that happened over the years while filming – including the ability to say the word “gay” on-air, which wasn’t allowed at the start.
She also took her last moments on stage to thank everyone who was involved with making her show such a success. “To all of you who have watched this show and supported me, thank you so much for this platform,” she said.
“I hope that what I’ve been able to do in the last 19 years has made you happy, and that I was able to take a little bit of pain away from a bad day or anything you’re going through,” she continued. “And I hope I’ve been able to inspire you to make other people happy and to do good in the world. To feel like you have a purpose.”
She also took the moment to let her viewers know the importance of authenticity – especially after breaking barriers herself as an openly gay woman in the workplace when it was not seen as acceptable.
“I hope I’ve inspired you to be yourself. Your true, authentic self. And if someone is brave enough to tell you who you are, be brave enough to support them,” she stated. “Thank you so much for being on this journey with me. I feel the love, and I send it back to you. Bye.”