Television host Ellen DeGeneres has said she tested positive for COVID-19 but is 'feeling fine.'
'Hi Everyone, I want to let you all know that I tested positive for Covid-19. Fortunately, I'm feeling fine right now,' said DeGeneres, 62, in a statement posted on Twitter at noon on Thursday.
'Anyone who has been in close contact with me has been notified, and I am following all proper CDC guidelines,' she added. 'I'll see you all again after the holidays. Please stay safe and healthy.'
DeGeneres, who typically tapes episodes of The Ellen Show at least a day in advance, had appeared in her usual slot on Wednesday afternoon, when her in-studio guests included singer Leslie Odom Jr.
Ellen DeGeneres is seen hosting a recent show. The daytime talk star will be off until after the holidays after saying she tested positive for COVID-19
DeGeneres posted this statement on social media, announcing that she would break early for the holidays after testing positive for COVID-19
Thursday's episode, if it airs as scheduled, would mark the final day of DeGeneres' well-known '12 Days of Giveaways' promotional series, which typically draws big sponsors and high ratings.
Last year, the promotion ran later in the season, and DeGeneres broke for the holidays after airing day 12 on December 23.
This year, the show is giving its daily gifts to frontline workers, first responders, medical workers, and families hardest impacted by the pandemic.
The host's coronavirus diagnosis comes just a day after a scathing Buzzfeed News article claimed that she was struggling to attract sponsors and A-list guests for this year's holiday specials - claims that were hotly disputed by DeGeneres' camp.
A current employee of The Ellen Show told the outlet that the show's giveaways segments had floundered in the wake of reports about the show's 'toxic' workplace culture.
In the episode that aired on Wednesday , DeGeneres hosted singer Leslie Odom Jr
'In a typical year, '12 Days of Giveaways' is huge. We've basically claimed Christmas on daytime TV. When you think of Christmas on TV, you think of The Ellen Show,' the employee said.
'Everyone wants to be in the audience. Everyone wants the gifts. And so we line up all these crazy sponsors, and people love it. But this year, our '12 Days' is more condensed. We don't have as many sponsors.'
However, a source close to the show strenuously disputed the claims as inaccurate, telling DailyMail.com that the typical '12 Days of Giveaways' format, which often focuses on lavish trips and vacations, had to be radically changed due to the realities of the pandemic.
The show's Season 18 guests have included Matthew McConaughey, Justin Bieber, Jane Fonda, Chance the Rapper, Kristen Bell and Orlando Bloom, among others.
The Buzzfeed article also cited a source close to the show who defended the Christmas promotion, saying that vacation giveaways were off the table in the pandemic.
'There are travel restrictions and she's giving gifts that are appropriate for the world right now,' the source said. 'Maybe it looks and feels differently, but that's not a reflection on her or the business, but that's directly impacted by the state of the world and the kind of show that's being done now.'
DeGeneres was most recently spotted in public on Monday, wearing a face covering as she enjoyed a shopping spree in Montecito, California with a female friend.
Developing story, more to follow.