An emotional Jennifer Aniston broke down in tears as she helped Ellen DeGeneres launch the farewell season of her daytime chat show.
The final run of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which is coming to an end after the upcoming 19th season, begins airing next week and a sneak-peek sees the former Friends star among the guests.
It’s a full-circle moment for the actor, who was the first ever star to appear on the show when it launched in 2003.
In the teaser clip, Jennifer breaks down in tears as she walks out to greet the host in front of a fully masked studio audience.
“What the hell? This is not supposed to be emotional. God dang it,” Jennifer says.
Jen then jokes she had barely left the house in two years, before taking Ellen to task about the state of a welcome mat she gifted her when the show first started.
Late night host Jimmy Kimmel will be the first guest on the final season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, with actress Tiffany Haddish, Kim Kardashian West and social media stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio also appearing.
The final series of Ellen’s show comes in the wake of July 2020 reports of a “toxic” work culture on the show.
BuzzFeed News spoke with 36 anonymous ex-staffers, all of whom shared stories of the improper treatment they experienced or witnessed on set. Three producers left the show amid the allegations of “sexual misconduct and racially insensitive remarks.”
After that report, Warner Bros. said parent company WarnerMedia launched an investigation that revealed “some flaws in the show’s daily management.” The studio also said it was “disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management.”
Before the workplace scandal, Ellen was one of the most popular personalities on US TV, known for her “be kind” mantra, often taking part in lavish giveaways or acts of charity.
Last year, she apologised to staff but denied the claims of a toxic workplace environment were the reason she is ending her chat show.