Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, have made a significant life change, relocating to the serene countryside of rural England.
The couple has placed their luxurious Montecito estate on the market and has no plans to return to the United States. According to a source close to DeGeneres, their decision was largely driven by their disillusionment with the election of Donald Trump, marking the shift as their primary motivation for leaving.
While the political landscape played a key role, the move also offers DeGeneres a chance for a fresh start. After the fallout from toxic workplace allegations surrounding her syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022, DeGeneres has spoken openly about feeling “kicked out of show business.”
The comedian has already settled in the picturesque Cotswolds, a tranquil area in the south-central region of England. Her Montecito estate, located about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles, has either been quietly listed or is expected to be on the market soon. A representative for Riskin Partners, the real estate agency handling the property, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
DeGeneres and de Rossi purchased the sprawling Montecito mansion in 2019, making it their primary residence. It remains unclear what will happen to their other properties in Southern California. Notably, DeGeneres’s former publicist confirmed that she is no longer representing the comedian since the conclusion of her comedy special and tour.
DeGeneres’s latest project, Four Your Approval, a stand-up special produced with Netflix, showcases how she’s been spending her time after stepping away from the talk show spotlight. In the special, she humorously reflects on her post-Ellen life, sharing that her new hobbies revolve around gardening and raising chickens.
“I decided to take up gardening. I got chickens,” DeGeneres says in the special. “Oh yeah, I got kicked out of show business… The ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind. That was the headline.”
She also jokes about how she might have surprised fans if she had ended her show on a different note.
“Had I ended my show by saying, ‘Go f–k yourselves,’ people would have been pleasantly surprised to find out I’m kind,” she quipped.
