Katy Perry defends Ellen DeGeneres amid ‘mean’ allegations and TV show investigation

Pop star’s statement comes hours after DeGeneres’ wife Portia de Rossi launched ‘I Stand with Ellen’ campaign

Katy Perry has come out in support of Ellen DeGeneres, tweeting that she has only had “positive takeaways” from her encounters with the beleaguered star.

DeGeneres’s US talk show is undergoing an internal investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct on the show’s set, as well as workplace bullying.

While DeGeneres herself has not been personally accused of mistreating staff, she said in a statement that, as the face of the show, she took “full responsibility” for the situation.

On Twitter, Perry wrote that DeGeneres had her full support.

“I know I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience besides my own but I want to acknowledge that I have only ever had positive takeaways from my time with Ellen & on the @theellenshow,” Perry tweeted.

“I think we all have witnessed the light & continual fight for equality that she has brought to the world through her platform for decades. Sending you love & a hug, friend @TheEllenShow.”

Perry’s tweets come hours after DeGeneres’s wife, the Arrested Development actor Portia de Rossi, launched a hashtag campaign in support of DeGeneres.

On her Instagram, De Rossi shared a poster reading “I stand by Ellen”, and added in a caption: “To all our fans… we see you. Thank you for your support. #stopbotattacks. #IStandWithEllenDeGeneres #IStandByEllen #IstandByEllenDeGeneres.”

DeGeneres has been at the centre of a number of controversies this year, from unverified reports of “mean” behaviour to criticism over her response to George Floyd’s death.

Everybody Loves Raymond actor Brad Garrett, and Back to the Future star Lea Thompson, both tweeted in July that allegations of DeGeneres’s “mean” behaviour were “common knowledge” in the industry.