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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Lily Waddell

Coronavirus: Ellen DeGeneres Show among US shows to be banned amid pandemic

Ellen DeGeneres Show was named among top US chat shows set to be banned amid the coronavirus global pandemic.

Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Seth Myers, Trevor Noah and John Oliver were also on the list of shows set to make the change while the killer virus continued to sweep the globe.

TV bosses across the board have expressed it was an unnecessary risk for their presenters and crew to conduct their interviews and show in front of a live audience.

Ellen, 62, apologised for disappointing fans when she revealed she would no longer be filming with a studio audience present for the foreseeable future.

The chat show host said she was putting the health of her staff, fans and crew first.

Ellen DeGeneres Show among US shows to be banned amid pandemic (YouTube/ TheEllenShow)

She wrote: "I have some news. For now, I’ll be shooting my show with no studio audience.

"To everyone who was looking forward to coming, I'm so sorry. But I’m doing this for the health of my fans, my staff & my crew."

She added in jest: "(It has nothing to do with a warrant for my arrest in the state of Florida.)"

Ellen DeGeneres' production company Telepictures also announced they were taking the precaution of removing crowds.

No staff members in any of the shows have been tested positive for coronavirus and they are not showing symptoms (Getty Images North America)

It was explained cancelling live audiences was a way of tackling the "changing nature of the COVID-19 outbreak".

The statement read: "This temporary measure will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and will not impact the production schedule of Ellen."

No staff members in any of the shows have been tested positive for coronavirus and they are not showing symptoms.

Whoopi Goldberg performed to empty seats (The view)

However, TV bosses expressed a keen interest in the health of their staff by taking the safety measure.

The View talk show set this into motion with host Whoopi Goldberg speaking in an empty studio on March 11.

It isn't known whether Saturday Night Live has been affected.

Ellen, 62, apologised for disappointing fans when she revealed she would no longer be filming with a studio audience present for the foreseeable future (The Ellen Show/YouTube)

The next episode has been set to air on March 28.

Coronavirus has shaken the US with 1,135 cases and 38 deaths.

President Trump has taken action as the deadly bug continued to plague the world.

The president has put a travel ban on Europe with the exclusion of the UK.

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