The Ellen DeGeneres Show prolongs hiatus due to Covid surge

Show paused production earlier in December after host tested positive for coronavirus

Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show before it went on hiatus earlier in December (YouTube/TheEllenShow)

The Ellen DeGeneres Show will remain on hiatus for an additional week due to an ongoing surge of Covid-19 cases in Los Angeles.

A spokesperson for Telepictures, one of the production companies behind the programme, told The Independent in a statement: “Due to the Covid-19 surge in Los Angeles County, and for the continued safety of our staff and crew, The Ellen DeGeneres Show will push production by a week.”

The show will air reruns next week, as it has done recently.

The Ellen Show went on hiatus earlier in December after DeGeneres announced she had tested positive for Covid-19.

“Fortunately, I’m feeling fine right now,” she said at the time. “Anyone who has been in close contact with me has been notified, and I am following all proper CDC guidelines.”

The talk show was meant to return on 4 January, but new episodes will now wait until 11 January, according to Deadline.

Back in October this year, the programme became one of the first to bring back a live studio audience amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Safety measures, including masks and social distancing, have been applied on set. The show has hired a Covid compliance officer, who was introduced on the air to viewers by DeGeneres in an earlier segment.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has recently urged film, TV, and music productions to pause due to the surge of Covid cases in the area.