‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ pulled from Australia’s Channel Nine amid investigation into ‘toxic’ work culture
Following allegations of a "toxic" workplace environment, 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' has been pulled from Australian TV. The popular US talk show is in the midst of an internal investigation into allegations of "sexual misconduct, racism, and workplace bullying on set." Considering that, Australia’s Channel Nine, where the show had aired since 2013, announced that repeats would be taken off air effective Monday, 24 August, Independent reported.
Network bosses will be replacing DeGeneres’s daytime slot with reruns of 'Desperate Housewives', it has been reported. Meanwhile, Channel Nine has confirmed they will only be “resting Ellen repeats” and not “axing” the show permanently.
As of now, 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' is making changes vis-à-vis its production. An email sent to staff on August 13 stated the investigation had found some of the anonymous allegations to be true. “We are disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management,” the statement read.
While DeGeneres herself was not directly implicated in the allegations, she reportedly admitted to “letting the ball drop a bit." The host has been accused by a number of former employees of being "mean." In fact, one radio executive claimed he was told “not to look” at DeGeneres during a 2013 interview. However, she denied these reports and branded them "crazy" during a call with the staff.
Among various steps being taken to bring about change, the show is reshuffling staff, offering employees extended holidays and time off, and encouraged them to not "be afraid" of returning to the studio. In a Zoom call last week, the company announced that staff would be receiving five extra days of holiday that they could use as pleased along with permission to take an off on their birthdays and paid leave for doctors' appointments and family matters.
The news was reportedly conveyed by senior producers Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner where an emotional and teary Ellen apologized to her employees again. She also revealed that three of the show's top producers including Ed Glavin, Jonathan Norman, and Kevin Leman who had been accused of sexual misconduct in July had been fired from the show.
Sources shared that Ellen admitted she was "not perfect" and said the show's producers were not sensitive to "human beings" and solely focused on running the show. The staff said they had all experienced racism, fear, and intimidation while working with Lassner, Connelly, and Glavin.
On August 24, we reported on 62-year-old DeGeneres being asked how her show would look after three of its top producers were fired over allegations of a "toxic work culture." DeGeneres simply responded by saying: "I will be talking to my fans."
Warner Bros. Television previously denied a report claiming crew members of the show have been left in the lurch, with many uncertain about their compensation in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. The crew alleged at the time that they received no communication about the status of their working hours, pay, or inquiries about their mental and physical health from producers for over a month.
'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' is set to return for its all-new 18th season in September this year.