TV show host Ellen DeGeneres is reportedly “heartbroken” after having to layoff 17 members of the digital extension of “The Ellen Show.”
17 people of the formerly 80-person team were let go as part of recent restructuring at Warner Bros., according to a report published Tuesday by Buzzfeed News.
NEW: Employees who worked for Ellen Digital Ventures, a digital extension of The Ellen DeGeneres Show responsible for Ellentube and other original video content, have been laid off amid a restructuring at WarnerMediahttps://t.co/l8ELeyfatI
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) November 11, 2020
The staff was addressed by DeGeneres plus executive producers Andy Lassner and Mary Connelly, the outlet reported. (RELATED: REPORT: Executive Producers Of ‘The Ellen Show’ Hit With Sexual Misconduct Allegations)
“I obviously as am heartbroken as everybody, but we have to know that this is all for the good of EDV, and we need to keep this going because we have such a great team and we believe in y’all, and we will get through this just like we’ve gotten through all kinds of other things,” DeGeneres told employees, according to Buzzfeed News. “Know that we believe in you and I know this is hard for y’all to hear, and we are here for you.”
“That’s really something that I intend on having long after the show is gone,” DeGeneres reportedly continued. “That’s our focus, to keep growing our content the way we’ve grown it. We’re on a path to do really, really well, and we should be proud. You should be proud of what you’ve done and what you’ve accomplished.”
The news of the restructuring comes after months of turmoil at “The Ellen Show.” The show had been accused of fostering a toxic work environment.