'I live near Ellen DeGeneres now she's fled America - here's what she's like'
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have been living in the Cotswolds since 2024, and locals have shared what the former chat show host is really like
Ellen DeGeneres and her actress wife, Portia de Rossi, have reportedly settled into their new life in the Cotswolds after moving to a farm near Witney following Donald Trump's re-election as President of the United States in November 2024.
The TV star has been candid about her decision to leave her home country, often expressing her disagreements with Trump's frequently contentious policies.
According to locals, the couple has fully embraced their new English countryside lifestyle, often mingling with neighbors at a local pub, The Farmer's Dog. An insider shared: "They come in regularly, they are really chilled and very polite. They come in with their dogs, sometimes on their own and sometimes with other people." The news comes after Ellen DeGeneres' real reason for fleeing America was revealed after criticism of Donald Trump.
The source further told People that everyone respects their privacy. "One time, they asked to sit at the corner table, presumably as it's a bit more private. Everyone knows who she is, but they don't bother her."
Ellen and Portia relocated to Kitesbridge Farm in the Cotswolds shortly after Trump's 2024 US presidential election victory, citing his re-election as their reason for moving to England. Speaking to a crowd in Cheltenham, Ellen expressed that everything "is just better" in the UK, while in America, it is "scary for people to be who they are", reports the Mirror.
The comedian and her wife initially planned to stay in the UK for just a few months each year, but they decided to make it their permanent home the day after the election. "We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, 'He got in'," she said.
"And we're like, 'We're staying here'."
Before leaving the US, she hosted a talk show that aired its final episode in 2022 after she faced allegations of fostering a "toxic workplace". However, while in Cheltenham, she addressed these allegations, admitting she can be "very blunt" but dismissing them as "clickbait".
A source in the Cotswolds described Ellen as "so nice", adding that they "haven't heard a single bad thing" about her from the villagers. "[Ellen's] so nice and very down to Earth. It's a small village, so of course everyone gossips, but I haven't heard a single bad thing."
Speaking about the village, Ellen told Richard Bacon that she was "not used to seeing this kind of beauty". "The villages and the towns and the architecture – everything you see is charming, and it's just a simpler way of life. I just love it here," she added.
However, Kitesbridge was recently put up for sale. The original asking price of £15 million has been increased to £22.5 million, with the extra said to cover the cost of renovations done to the property.
Ellen and Portia have since moved to a newly constructed home. Ellen shared: "We decided we needed a different house, and now we are selling that house. So if anyone wants a house, it's a beautiful stone farmhouse."
The couple doesn't seem to be planning a return to the US anytime soon. They're among a slew of celebrities who left the country following Donald Trump's election.
Rosie O'Donnell, fellow actress and comedian, relocated to Ireland, stating: "My personal mental health comes first, and when he was in last time, I was not doing well."
Robin Wright has also made a move to the UK, expressing her thoughts on America as a "America is a s*** show". She added that she loves being in the UK because "the people are so kind".
Meanwhile, James Cameron, the director of Titanic, relocated to New Zealand due to his perception of the US becoming a "hollow idea". "I think they're hollowing it out as fast as they can for their own benefit."
It comes after David Muir issues bombshell 4-word message as he makes move away from ABC desk.