Back in November, we reported that the comedian Ellen DeGeneres had fled America. She then moved across the world to the United Kingdom. DeGeneres has since been laying low in England with her actress wife Portia de Rossi of Arrested Development fame.
Now, new details have emerged about the very “different” life that DeGeneres is now living in rural England. Indeed, it looks nothing like the glitzy Hollywood lifestyle that she left behind.
DeGeneres’ ‘Different Lifestyle’ In England
Insiders are saying that DeGeneres, 67, is living a much quieter life in England. She reportedly spends her days tending to her chickens and her sheep. DeGeneres also enjoys taking leisurely walks to her local pub for lunch.
“It’s a different lifestyle for her,” an insider told Us Weekly. “She’s very chill and in her element.”
DeGeneres and de Rossi, 52, are reportedly living in a 10,000-square-foot home called Hiaven, which they bought for a reported $26 million.
While fans were stunned when DeGeneres moved to England back in November, this was actually something that she and de Rossi had been considering doing for quite some time.
“They had visited before and looked at homes but weren’t sure when they would do it,” the source explained. “When they found the right place, they jumped on it.”
DeGeneres and de Rossi had initially planned to only spend part of the year in England and the rest of their time in California. However, they changed their minds about this after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
DeGeneres Is ‘Happier’ Than Ever
Though DeGeneres is used to living the good life in Hollywood, she’s reportedly been leaning into country living.
“Ellen’s been farming and gardening and taking care of her animals,” the source said. “Those close to her have never seen her happier.”
DeGeneres and de Rossi are each eager to maintain their privacy. However, they have still been taking the time to chat with locals.
“[Ellen and Portia] have interesting things to say,” another source said. “They were friendly to local people and wanted to live normal lives, but were nervous of any press attention.”
Locals Have ‘Never Heard’ Of DeGeneres
This insider went on to indicate that locals aren’t as starstruck by DeGeneres and de Rossi as the Hollywood A-listers might think.
“I’ve only met them very briefly, but from what I’ve heard, everyone who has spent time with them seems to suggest they are very nice, good company and genuinely committed to making England their home,” the source stated.
A third local insider confirmed that many living in the area have “never heard” of DeGeneres. It seems that her name doesn’t even ring a bell for many locals when they’re asked about her.
“But then again, horsey people — and there are a lot of them around here — don’t watch afternoon TV,” this source said. The insider added that DeGeneres and de Rossi have been given a warm reception in town.
“To my knowledge, there’s been nothing ‘frosty’ happening around here,” the source said. “I think this side of the Cotswolds is very welcoming and friendly.”
DeGeneres and de Rossi have become regulars at the exclusive members’ club Soho Farmhouse. They are also often seen enjoying Sunday lunch at the Falkland Arms pub, a 16th-century inn in the center of town.
“It’s a maze of cozy nooks and crannies, shadowy and often dimly lit with low ceilings and a hearty atmosphere,” said one pub-goer. “Ellen and Portia can easily slip in unnoticed.”
A Difficult Adjustment
Despite all of this, life in rural England wasn’t initially so easy for DeGeneres and de Rossi.
“Things weren’t quite as luxurious as they’d been in Montecito,” one local insider admitted.
DeGeneres herself has been open about this.
“The winter is tough,” she confessed last month. “But I still enjoyed it because we’re not used to seasons in California.”
DeGeneres and de Rossi have also had an issue with their two cars, a vintage Land Rover Defender and a Land Rover Discovery. It seems that the luxury vehicles are too large to get over a width- and weight-restricted bridge that leads directly into town.
“They’ve] gotten used to taking the long way around to the village — a three-mile trip,” the local source said, adding that the pair have also been seen walking to town on foot. “[It’s] probably quicker than the long-way-around drive.”
DeGeneres Feels ‘Pushed Out’ By Hollywood
DeGeneres seems to be enjoying her new life in England after feeling “pushed out” by Hollywood in the wake of her toxic workplace scandal.
“The investigation into her show was a major blow,” said one insider close to DeGeneres. Another added that “Ellen feels very burned by how the world turned on her.”
For decades, DeGeneres was known as “The Queen of Nice.” She even ended every episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show by telling her viewers to “be kind to one another.”
That all changed in 2020, when DeGeneres was accused of presiding over a workplace at her talk show that was full of racism, sexism, and bullying. It was even alleged that her own staffers were told to never make eye contact with DeGeneres.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show went off the air in 2022. In the years since then, DeGeneres has lamented that she was “kicked out of show business” for being “mean.”
“The hate went on for a long time. And I would try to avoid looking at the news,” DeGeneres said last year. “The ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind. That was the headline.”
This was another major factor in DeGeneres’ decision to flee America and move to England.
“Ellen really felt she had made her mark on the industry. But that was diminished when she was cancelled over her alleged treatment of her staff,” a source told Daily Mail back in November. “Then to have celebrities call her out one by one was so hurtful.”
DeGeneres Flees America
The insider went on to say that the “all the ill will towards” DeGeneres in America partly led to her decision to leave the country.
“She has the one person that still loves her, Portia, and she is ready to leave everyone who in her mind left her hanging out to dry. If she considers it her retirement, so be it,” the source continued. “An enormous part of the U.S. doesn’t like her because of her sexual preferences. And others were turned off by her persona, which some perceived to be fake in the wake of the work place allegations.”
“For Ellen, it’s easier to move away from her problems than to confront them,” the insider concluded. “It seems like a sad end to what she once was in people’s minds.”
Though it’s very different from Hollywood, life in rural England seems to be agreeing with DeGeneres for now. Only time will tell how long DeGeneres actually ends up staying there!