The saviour of British daytime TV?
Ellen DeGeneres’ reputation precedes her wherever she goes, and the US comedian is coming to the UK. ITV2 has announced it has snapped up the rights to The Ellen DeGeneres Show and will be airing brand new episodes of the programme every weekday afternoon.
Another chat show – just what the schedules were crying out for…
A friend to the stars, DeGeneres little black book is bursting with contacts, although she probably stores the numbers of her A-list friends in her smartphone, which she used to take a record-breaking photo at the 2014 Oscars. As host of the Academy Awards two years ago, she orchestrated a selfie with a pack of Hollywood stars, including Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep, which has since been tweeted nearly 3.5 million times.
So this is more than just fodder to fill the airtime?
You’re unlikely to see any reality TV rejects plopping themselves down Ellen’s sofa. Highlights from the most recent series include interviews with the cast of Star Wars and US presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. The show features a combination of comedy, celebrity and music guests alongside topical human-interest stories. To date, it has been awarded 55 Daytime Emmys, including nine for Outstanding Daytime Talk Show.
How long has it been going for?
Since 2003. Prior to that, the comedian and actress, 57, starred in the sitcom, Ellen, from 1994 to 1998. During the fourth series, in 1997, she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and announced she was gay, receiving several standing ovations and attracting mass media attention.
Is she pleased she’ll be gracing UK screens?
It appears so, though her grasp of the native dialect is worryingly weak. “After what feels like decades of campaigning I’m so excited that my show is on ITV2. I can literally feel my crumpets tingling down in my cockles,” DeGeneres, said. A spokeswoman for ITV2 said the channel was “over the moon” with the acquisition.
