Executive Producer Matthew Wright Dies at 52 After 16 Years on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Matthew Wright, the longtime executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, died suddenly at age 52 on October 30, 2026 in Los Angeles.

Wright had worked on the daytime talk show for 16 years.

He and his husband, Justin, were laid off from the show months earlier in 2026.

Ellen DeGeneres posted an emotional Instagram video on November 2, 2026, describing Wright as “an amazing guy” who “made me laugh” and noting his frequent appearances on the show.

DeGeneres said she and Wright were planning to start a new project together before his death.

The family’s GoFundMe page described his death as an “unfathomable tragedy,” and no cause of death has been confirmed.

Ellen DeGeneres has not hosted a television program since The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended in 2022.