Just over a year after seeking sanctuary in the English countryside, comedian Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, appear to be turning their backs on their troubled Cotswolds idyll, with a series of disasters forcing a hasty retreat back to the United States.
A Dream Move Turns Soggy
In late 2023, the couple embarked on a highly publicised relocation, spending millions to transform a "tired" 43-acre Oxfordshire farmstead into a landmark country estate. Keen to settle quickly, they deployed a team of 70 builders to slash the estimated 18-month restoration timeline. However, their new beginning was immediately submerged. Within days of moving in, Storm Bert hit, causing the nearby River Windrush to burst its banks, surrounding their £15 million property with polluted floodwater.
The couple were effectively marooned, with roads made impassable by five feet of water. While DeGeneres initially made light of the situation, it later emerged the floodwaters contained untreated sewage, with toxicity levels so high a local charity raft race was cancelled for seven years. This "biblical" flooding was the first major setback in a catalogue of issues that undermined their rural fantasy.
Neighbourly Tensions and Hollywood Drama
The challenges extended beyond the weather. The couple reportedly "gazumped" another buyer by offering £2.5 million over the £12.5 million asking price to secure Kitesbridge Farm in Asthall. Their rapid renovation then sparked a row with neighbours and local councillors, including aristocratic heiress Rosie Pearson, over potential disturbances to Roman ruins and concerns their new fencing could increase flood risk for the village. Planning enforcement investigated a "technical breach" for a single-storey extension built without permission, though the case was later closed.
Their forays into local life also proved tricky. Their vintage Land Rover Defender was reportedly too wide for village bollards, necessitating a long detour. An early visit to Jeremy Clarkson's nearby pub, The Farmer's Dog, was allegedly soured when Clarkson's partner, Lisa Hogan, posted footage online, revealing their location. Further gossip suggested workers filling DeGeneres's 56ft pool may have drained the water supply to Clarkson's pub on its second day of business—a claim Clarkson denied was the cause of a rift.
Retreat to Higher Ground and an Eventual Exit
By March 2024, the couple had already sought an escape, purchasing a second, ultra-modern £25 million hilltop home 30 minutes away. This minimalist property, with floor-to-ceiling windows and an infinity pool, offered panoramic views and, crucially, a sustainable drainage system placing it safely out of flood risk. The house is also a neighbour to a farmhouse once secretly rented by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, friends from their time in Montecito.
Their attempts at authentic country living continued at the new estate. Portia flew her horses in from America, and the couple acquired chickens and four sheep to manage pastureland. However, the sheep were later rehomed after DeGeneres complained about the constant cleaning up after them. In July 2024, they put their original flood-prone mansion on the market for £22.5 million; it remains unsold and was flooded again during Storm Claudia.
With UK tour dates quietly cancelled, the couple spent the recent festive season in the US. Insiders suggest homesickness for friends and sunshine, coupled with Portia's desire to return to acting, may lead to a permanent return to California. Having already listed their last Montecito properties, it seems Ellen DeGeneres's much-documented Cotswolds chapter, plagued by water, weather, and wrangles, may be ending as abruptly as it began.
