Ellen DeGeneres reflects on initial days of the show: ‘I wanted to make it a happy place’

Host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres recalled the initial days of her show after the announcement of the namesake talk show ending circulated on social media.

The Ellen DeGeneres show has been on air since 2003 which was the most watched show of all time.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Ellen, 63, said, "I think I gave the advice on day one. I mean, I wanted to make a show that was really fun for everybody and an escape for an hour a day. Whatever was going on in the world, I wanted this to be a happy place. I wanted everyone here to have fun working here and I wanted to not take it for granted, to enjoy [it].”

She further added, "But if you would have told me that in 19 years that I would be doing this 19 years later, I never thought it would last this long. I thought it would do well, but, you know, talk shows don't last that long usually. So I'm, you know, beyond blessed and grateful for it going this long.”

For those unversed, the talk show which began in 2003 will end after its 19th season next year.

It was claimed by Degeneres that the host was creating a “toxic workplace environment” for everyone that went against the very spirit the show was begun with.