Ellen DeGeneres Says She has COVID as her Show's Woes Continue

Ellen DeGeneres' very bad 2020 just got worse. The talkshow host announced on social media Thursday that she has tested positive for COVID-19, reports The Daily Beast.

"Over the past few weeks, DeGeneres has conducted several in-person, maskless interviews on her show, including with Lil Nas X, Leslie Odom Jr, Bryan Cranston–who discussed his lingering COVID-19 symptoms from his summer bout with the virus," adds The Daily Beast. "'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' had only resumed filming two months ago and was already dogged by money woes and booking issues after Ellen was accused of being a toxic boss earlier this year."

DeGeneres, who usually tapes her show a day in advance, appeared on Wednesday in her usual slot with in-studio guests including singer Leslie Odom Jr. "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," writes The Daily Mail.

Her diagnosis came the day after a BuzzFeedNews story that reported on her ongoing struggles. Her show is "losing advertisers, struggling to book A-list celebrities, and suffering a dip in ratings during what is usually the busiest time of year, sources with knowledge of the situation told BuzzFeed News."

BuzzFeedNews adds that the month of December is usually one of 'The Ellen Show's 'busiest and most successful times of the year because of the '12 Days of Giveaways' segments that run on 12 episodes, promoting brands whose products are gifted to audience members. This year, the show is specifically giving gifts to frontline workers, first responders, medical workers, and families impacted by COVID-19. But a current employee said that even though the show recently instituted a small in-studio audience again, this year's gifts aren't on par with what it usually delivers."

And has a staff member, who spoke to BuzzFeedNews anonymously, worried about the show's future. "This feels like our make-it-or-break-it moment. This will be our biggest report card. If we pick up sponsors by the new year, then we're cooking, we'll be fine, and we'll sell kindness in a bottle. But if we fail that report card, who knows."