It was announced yesterday that The Ellen Show will come to an end after 19 seasons. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Ellen said the show was no longer a creative challenge.

“When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” Ellen told The Hollywood Reporter.

Ellen spoke about the decision on her May 13 show’s opening monologue.

Over the past year, there have been numerous allegations regarding sexual misconduct and a toxic work environment by several ex-staff members. These allegations have no bearing on Ellen’s decision to end the show, according to her statement.

This morning, an ex-producer of the show slammed Degeneres saying that she’s not really stepping down, but rather “the viewers fired her.”

Appearing on the Australian news programme Sunrise, Hedda Muskat said: “The viewers have spoken. Her ratings have been in the toilet for a long, long time now. Her show has not been fun, it has not been interesting, and she’s not really, by the way, stepping down – the viewers fired her.

“I think the viewers are disappointed in the phoniness that she’s been projecting as this nice person. I feel the viewers feel duped in a way, that she’s not this nice person, and they’re not gonna put up with the backstage racism and bullying that goes on.

“I think the viewers have woken up, finally.”

In the aftermath of the allegations last year, Ellen opened season 18 of the show by addressing the controversy assuring the audience that the necessary changes had been made to create a better work environment.

Apologising for her own personal shortcomings the talk show host said:

“My intention is to always be the best person I can be, and if I’ve ever let someone down if I’ve ever hurt their feelings, I am so sorry for that. If that’s ever the case, I have let myself down and I’ve hurt myself as well because I always try to grow as a person, I look at everything that comes into my life as an opportunity to learn.”

Ellen’s staff were reportedly informed of the show’s ending on May 11. The show is set to end in spring of 2022 after 19 years on the air.

Degeneres is set to appear in a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey later today.