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Ellen DeGeneres is officially packing it in after one more season.
In a sneak peek at Thursday’s edition of her daytime talk show, she announces that she’ll be ending “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in spring 2022, at the end of the 19th season.
“If you’ve been watching this show, and I trust that you have, you know that a few weeks ago we celebrated our 3,000th show. So, that means as of today, we’ve done 3,000 shows, plus 14, which is um… 3,000, plus 14 shows. I know, it’s a lot,” she begins.
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“And today, I have an announcement to make. Today, I’m announcing that next season, Season 19, is going to be my last season,” she confirms.
“So, the past 18 years, you have to know, has changed my life. You all have changed my life and I am forever grateful to all of you for watching, for laughing, for dancing… sometimes crying. This show has been the greatest experience of my life, and I owe it all to you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” she says.
Continuing, DeGeneres admits that she’d “thought a lot about this decision,” adding, “Two years ago, I signed a deal for three more years and I always knew in my heart that Season 19 would be my last.”
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Besides, she adds, “Nineteen is a great number. First of all, the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. This may be controversial, but I believe women should be allowed to vote. I said it. I said it. Also, on the periodic table, 19 is the atomic number for potassium.”
Explaining that her “instincts” had been telling her the time was right to end the show, she looks back at her decision to come out of the closet.
“In 1997, I knew it was time to come out on my sitcom and live my truth. Back then, I had a vivid dream that a bird flew out of a cage and set itself free because it needed to get out of that cage. Recently, I had a dream that a bird, a beautiful bird with bright red feathers, came to my window and whispered, ‘You can still do stuff on Netflix.’ And that was the sign I was looking for,” she jokes.
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She concludes by promising viewers “a fantastic final season. It will be a season where I truly get to say, ‘Thank You. Thank you all.’ Every day will be a celebration. There will be a lot of surprises, there will be trips down memory lane, and a few detours through Why Did I Wear That Alley.”
