Comedian and former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has ignited fresh speculation about a potential permanent return to the United States after she was photographed enjoying a casual stroll with her wife, Portia de Rossi, in Montecito, California this week.
A Californian Excursion Fuels Speculation
The 67-year-old, who notably relocated to the British countryside shortly after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election last November, was seen back on the West Coast. A source told The Mail on Sunday that while the couple are currently spending only 'a few weeks' in California, DeGeneres has plans to 'come home soon'.
During the Tuesday outing, DeGeneres showcased her newly-dyed blonde locks, kept under a blue cap, and dressed in a relaxed ensemble of a grey-printed shirt, denim jeans, a navy blazer, and comfortable sneakers. De Rossi also opted for casual wear, sporting a cream-coloured sweater and loose-fitting blue jeans.
The pair were seen shopping at the outdoor retail area The Post in Montecito, grabbing a low-key lunch, and were accompanied by their newly adopted dog, Jinx. Later, they met up with DeGeneres's brother, Vance, and his wife Joanna in Santa Barbara ahead of the New Year's holiday.
From UK Floods to West Coast Sunshine
DeGeneres's appearance in her old stomping ground is significant. The star is no stranger to Montecito, having previously owned property there. In fact, she listed one Montecito home for $4,995,000 in March of this year, which sold for over the asking price at $5.2 million less than two weeks later.
Her move to the UK, which she confirmed to the BBC in July was a direct result of Trump's re-election, has reportedly been fraught with difficulties. Initially settling into an $18 million six-bedroom home in the Cotswolds, the couple faced severe flooding from Storm Bert and complaints from locals about building work.
They subsequently moved to another property roughly 30 minutes away. However, an insider suggests the allure of the UK has waned. 'Ellen was adamant that she and Portia were going to stay in the UK while Trump was in the White House, but evidently she's changed her mind somewhat,' the source stated.
The insider added that DeGeneres misses the 'warm weather' and her close friends on the West Coast, and that de Rossi wishes to resume acting.
Life After 'The Ellen Show'
The potential return marks a new chapter for DeGeneres, whose long-running daytime talk show ended in 2022 following allegations of a toxic work environment in 2020—a period she has said was 'very, very difficult' but educational.
Since leaving the US spotlight, she has offered glimpses of her English countryside life on social media and released a Netflix special, Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval, in 2024, which received mixed reviews.
Whether this Californian visit is merely an extended holiday or the first step in a full repatriation remains to be seen. For now, the sighting has firmly placed the possibility of Ellen DeGeneres's return to American soil squarely back in the public eye.
