Ellen DeGeneres, the 17-year NBC talk show host, announced on her show Wednesday, May 12 that Ellen will officially come to an end in 2022. A senior source at NBC exclusively spoke with Page Six about what’s next for the network, revealing that comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish is a top contender for the daytime talk show host spot.
“Tiffany is a favorite, she has humor and empathy in spades,” they told Page Six about the comedian, who often stood in for DeGeneres as she took time away from the show.
“She’s top of the list to get a daytime show – she’s a fresh voice.”
Today is a big day. Next season is a big season. pic.twitter.com/Ii4m9IDuYv
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 13, 2021
DeGeneres decided to end her Emmy award-winning show after numerous reports of workplace complaints and a drop in viewer ratings. Complaining about a toxic work environment, many employees came out about the daytime talk show hosts’ behavior off-screen, with several employees claiming they were instructed not to speak to DeGeneres around the office.
According to Vanity Fair, she lost 1 million viewers following the accusations. But DeGeneres claims that’s not her reason for ending her show.
Speaking with TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, she stated “People get picked on, but for four months straight and then for me to read in the press about a toxic work environment when all I’ve ever heard from every guest that comes on the show is what a happy atmosphere this is…”
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She added during the interview, “If it was why I was quitting, I would have not come back this year.” DeGeneres revealed that she was considering ending Ellen in a 2018 New York Times profile, saying that her wife, actress Porti de Rossi, was in support of it. “She gets mad when my brother tells me I can’t stop,” she said.
Haddish has recently made some big accomplishments. In March, the “Girl’s Trip” star won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for her Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah Netflix special. The 41-year-old stand-up comedian also announced earlier this month that she’s taking parenting classes to prepare for child adoption.
Would you tune in to a talk show hosted by Haddish? Let us know your thoughts below.