Ellen DeGeneres Breaks Down in Tears in Heartbreaking Video as She Reveals Show Producer Died in 'Unfathomable Tragedy' at Age 52
Ellen DeGeneres openly wept while speaking on the death of her talk show's executive producer.
Nov. 2 2026, Published 5:40 p.m. ET
An emotional Ellen DeGeneres put out a tearful announcement about the "shocking" death of her long-running talk show's executive producer, Matt Wright, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 68-year-old comedian visibly struggled to get her words out as she shared the heartbreaking news, reminding viewers that Wright had been "featured on our show a lot" before revealing he had "died the other day." DeGeneres then paid a touching tribute to her late colleague, calling him an "amazing guy."
'Everyone Loved Him. I Loved Him'
Tears rolled down Ellen DeGeneres' face as she discussed the 'shocking' death of Matt Wright.
"He was funny. God, he made me laugh. He would surprise me with things that he did all the time," a visibly shaken DeGeneres shared in the Instagram video posted on Monday, November 2.
"He was smart, and he was kind. He was part of our show that...everyone loved him. I loved him," she said while sitting by a lake wearing a checkered baseball cap and a heavy white fisherman's sweater. "And it's just shocking, shocking."
Although her show ended in 2022, DeGeneres said the two had kept in touch lately, as they'd been planning "a project to do together that we were supposed to start."
Ellen DeGeneres Called Matt Wright 'Glue' That Held Show Together
Matt Wright appeared on-camera numerous times during his time as Ellen DeGeneres' producer.
"We're going to miss him. He is and always will be the glue to our entire family at the Ellen show," DeGeneres said of Wright, who served as executive producer from 2006 until the daytime chat fest came to an end in 2022 following explosive allegations of a toxic workplace behind the scenes.
"And to Justin, his husband, and his family....I'm so sorry. Cause we lost a good guy. And he and tWitch were so close. So now he and tWitch are together, dancing and laughing," the comic added, referring to Stephen "tWitch" Boss, the show's longtime DJ who died by suicide in December 2022.
At that point, DeGeneres became too overcome with emotion to continue and turned off the camera.
A touching montage of Wright's most memorable Ellen appearances followed, showcasing his razor-sharp comedic timing and hilarious on-screen antics that made him a fan favorite.
'An Unfathomable Tragedy'
Matt Wright and husband Justin Fusella are seen on a 2025 vacation in London.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Wright's sister, Mandy, as it revealed the former TV talent had fallen on hard times after losing his job, leaving his relatives without the money to get his body home for burial.
"In an unfathomable tragedy, Matt Wright passed away on Oct. 30th while working remotely in Los Angeles. His husband, father, sister, and niece are in New York, desperate to be reunited for a proper goodbye," the fundraiser's summary began.
"We’re asking for all of his friends, who Matt loved so fully, to help the family at this time," the GoFundMe continued. "As many of you know, Matt & Justin were both laid off this summer. And the unexpected costs of getting Matt home, a funeral, and a memorial are impossible for the family to bear."
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Matt Wright Visited 'Ellen' Colleague Hours Before Death
Andy Lassner wrote that Matt Wright visited him on the set of his job 'hours' before his death.
The funds will help cover the costs of transporting Wright's body to his family, his funeral in New York, and a memorial service in Los Angeles, with any remaining donations placed in a trust for his beloved niece, Sami.
DeGeneres was shown to have given a $5,000 donation, and a dozen friends have so far donated $1,000 each.
One of them was Andy Lassner, another Ellen show executive producer.
He shared an Instagram post showing photos of the two men taken on October 29, when Wright stopped by the set of The Jennifer Hudson Show, where Lassner now works as an EP.
"A few hours later, he was gone. We are all in shock," the TV veteran wrote in the caption. "He was a brilliant producer and an even better human being."
