Image Source: Deadline, E! Online
The unscripted primetime series ‘Ellen’s Game of Games’ hosted by Ellen DeGeneres has not been renewed for the fifth season. The filming for the fourth season ended in May 2021 and featured 20 episodes.
Ellen DeGeneres featured larger-than-life versions of games on 'Ellen’s Game of Games’ that were also included on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ and contestants competed to win $100,000. The first season premiered in December 2017 and included eight episodes and by 2019, ‘Ellen’s Game of Games’ had managed to secure the first position in primetime and also performed exceptionally well in the kids demographic.
‘Ellen’s Game of Games’ is produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted and Alternative Television in association with Telepictures and A Very Good Production. Ellen DeGeneres, Kevin A. Leman II, Mary Connelly, Ed Glavin, Andy Lassner, Derek Westervelt, Daniel Norris, Noah Bonnett, and Jeff Kleeman served as executive producers.
According to reports, the decision to call off the spinoff series ‘Ellen’s Game of Games’ is not surprising as the current contract of Ellen DeGeneres ends this year. Ellen started her groundbreaking daytime show in 2003, five years after she came out as a lesbian on the cover story of Time Magazine and became one of the successful and prominent names in the daytime chat syndication after Oprah Winfrey left the daytime chat show scene in 2011.
The Ellen Show is also coming to an end later this spring after successful 19 seasons. The decision to end the chat show comes after a turbulent year for the host and comedian as she faced a lot of challenges and allegations of creating a toxic workspace environment that included racist behavior, intimidation, poor treatment, and pay reduction for her staffers. As soon as the allegations were made public, the viewership of the show also went downhill and as a result, executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman II, and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman were terminated.
Ellen DeGeneres opened season 18 with a lengthy apology and told the viewers, “I learned that things happen here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously. And I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.”
In May 2021, Ellen shared about the allegation on Today and said, "I really didn't understand it; I still don't understand it. It was too orchestrated; it was too coordinated. People get picked on but for four months straight for me, 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, and what a happy place it is.”
When she was asked during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter if she had decided to leave as the result of the controversy, Ellen clarified, “If that was why I was quitting, I would've not come back this year. I really did think about not coming back because it was devastating. 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.”
Addressing the allegations, Ellen said, “My whole being is about making people happy. And with the talk show, all I cared about was spreading kindness and compassion, and everything I stand for was being attacked. So, it destroyed me, honestly. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. And it makes me really sad that there’s so much joy out there from negativity. It’s a culture now where there are just mean people, and it’s so foreign to me that people get joy out of that. Then, on the heels of it, there are allegations of a toxic workplace and, unfortunately, I learned that through the press.”
Ellen said that she was devastated to know about the allegation of a toxic workspace. Image Source: Sky News
She also added, “It broke my heart when I learned that people here had anything other than a fantastic experience — that people were hurt in any way. I check in now as much as I can through Zoom to different departments, and I make sure people know that if there’s ever a question or ever anything, they can come to me, and I don’t know why that was never considered before. I’m not a scary person. I’m really easy to talk to. So, we’ve all learned from things that we didn’t realize — or I didn’t realize — were happening. I just want people to trust and know that I am who I appear to be".
Warner Bros’ unscripted TV president Mike Darnell also shared about The Ellen DeGeneres Show coming to end and said, “Although all good things must come to an end, you still have hope that truly great things never will”. NBC Universal Local president Valari Staab, whose stations air the show, described The Ellen Show as “an iconic American TV program” and Ellen DeGeneres as “a trailblazer and a one-of-a-kind talent.”
During her interview with The Hollywood Reporter when she was asked if after ending season 19, what are her plans to do to which she said, “I don’t even know the answer. I’ve been trying to think about that. I have some ideas, but my agent is just like, “Why don’t you just sit still for a minute. You probably don’t even know how exhausted you are and what it’s going to be like to sit still.” And I don’t know how long I’ll be able to do that because I’m like a Ferrari in neutral. I’m constantly needing to go. So, that’s my first challenge, and then I’m going to figure it out. I wouldn’t have thought I was ever going to do a talk show when I stopped doing movies and sitcoms. I thought that was the only path. And then all of a sudden there was a talk show that took me on this 19-year journey."
