Ellen DeGeneres Is Reportedly Leaving the US, Headed to UK After Trump Win

Comedian Ellen DeGeneres has reportedly decided to leave the U.S. and relocate to the U.K. after Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election.

DeGeneres, the former talk show host, had supported Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, during the 2024 election. However, her hope of seeing Harris become the first female U.S. president did not come to fruition.

Shortly after the polls closed on November 5, Republican nominee Trump was declared the winner of the highly contested election. This came after a tumultuous race, where Harris stepped in as the Democratic nominee just months before Election Day following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal.

In the days following the results, several celebrities have voiced their reactions on social media, with some celebrating the outcome while others expressed disappointment. Some stars who had promised to leave the country if Trump secured a second term have yet to confirm whether they will follow through on those plans.

According to The Wrap, Ellen DeGeneres has followed through on her promise to leave the U.S., purchasing a property in the scenic Cotswolds, a charming area in southwestern England located about two hours from London.

TMZ reports that DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, bought the U.K. property prior to the election. However, they were reportedly “very disillusioned” by Trump’s victory and decided it was time “to get the hell out” of the U.S.

Newsweek has reached out to representatives of both DeGeneres and Trump for comment via email.

The Cotswolds is a popular destination for many high-profile celebrities, with actor Jamie Dornan, former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, and power couple David and Victoria Beckham among those who have made the region their home over the years.

In a possible indication that they are settling into their new life across the pond, Ellen DeGeneres, 66, and Portia de Rossi, 51, were recently featured in a video shared on Instagram by Clarkson’s partner, Lisa Hogan. The clip, geotagged in the picturesque Cotswold hills, shows the group enjoying time together at Clarkson’s Farmer’s Dog pub while Irish family band The Corrs performs in the background.

Actor and singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia is captured enthusiastically singing along in the video, standing next to a seated Lisa Hogan. As the camera pans, Hogan turns it towards Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who are seen sharing a warm wave with the group.

Former actor and screenwriter Lisa Hogan captioned the video: “@thecorrsofficial thanks for the acoustic check & for swooping by on your night off the tour! Thrilled to confirm @thefarmersdogpub sounds great.”

Hogan finished the caption by tagging Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, and Natalie Imbruglia. She also tagged her partner, Jeremy Clarkson, and singer James Blunt, although neither of them appeared in the footage.

Where Do the Couple Own Properties?

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi had been residing in a luxurious property in Montecito, California, located in Santa Barbara County. This upscale town is home to numerous high-profile individuals, including Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Comedian DeGeneres is said to have purchased the property in 2019, and it became the couple’s primary residence shortly thereafter. However, recent reports suggest that DeGeneres and de Rossi are now planning to list the property for sale.

Over the years, the couple has also bought and flipped multiple properties across Southern California. The New York Post reported in 2021 that their real estate transactions were valued at an estimated $450 million.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the couple sold a home in Beverly Crest off-market for $8.757 million in 2022, just months after purchasing it for $8.5 million.

In 2021, DeGeneres and de Rossi sold a Beverly Hills mansion that they had purchased from Maroon 5 musician Adam Levine for $42.5 million in 2019. The couple made a profit, walking away with $47 million after the sale.

According to The Times, they also sold a Montecito compound for $33.3 million in 2020, just months after buying it for $27 million.

In her 2015 book Home, DeGeneres revealed that over the past 25 years, she had purchased and renovated 15 properties.

‘Kicked Out of Showbusiness’

A move to the U.K. marks a new chapter for DeGeneres, who has largely stepped away from the entertainment industry. In her recent Netflix special, For Your Approval, DeGeneres reflected on how she had been “kicked out of showbusiness” following a wave of negative press.

DeGeneres’ reputation took a major hit in July 2020, when Buzzfeed News published an article detailing multiple allegations about her talk show being a toxic work environment behind the scenes. She also faced criticism from some celebrities.

After her talk show ended in 2022, DeGeneres retreated from the limelight before recording her stand-up special in Los Angeles. During the special, which was promoted as her final performance, DeGeneres told the audience, “I’m here because I love doing stand-up, and I miss doing stand-up, and I like making people happy, and I do care what people think.”

While DeGeneres has insisted that her talk show ended on its own terms and was not directly tied to the negative headlines she faced, she did acknowledge the emotional toll it took on her, delivering her reflections with the signature deadpan humor that made her a household name.

“Here’s the problem: I’m a comedian who got a talk show, and I ended the show every day by saying, ‘Be kind to one another.’ Yeah, I know, it seemed like a good idea,” she joked.

“Had I ended my show by saying, ‘Go f*** yourselves,’ people would have been pleasantly surprised to find out I’m kind,” she quipped.

DeGeneres went on to say, “I got kicked out of show business. Yeah, because I’m mean. You can’t be mean and be in show business. They’ll kick you out. No mean people in show business.”

This article is based on content from Newsweek