Ellen DeGeneres issues rare social media message after executive producer from her show dies

Ellen DeGeneres has paid an emotional tribute to a former colleague following his sudden death, describing him as the one person who held their close-knit team together.

The former talk-show host, 68, became visibly emotional as she remembered Matthew Wright in a rare personal message shared with fans on shared on social media last night (2 Nov).

Wright had worked as a longtime executive producer on the star's titular series, The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

His death at the age of 52 was confirmed earlier this week, with those who knew him now sharing their memories of the much-loved producer.

According to a GoFundMe page set up to support his family, Wright died suddenly on Friday (30 Oct) while working remotely in Los Angeles.

His death was described by those behind the fundraiser as an 'unfathomable tragedy', with no cause of death having been publicly disclosed.

The page explained that Wright's husband, Justin, along with his father, sister and niece, were in New York and desperately wanted to bring him home for a proper goodbye.

"We’re asking for all of his friends, who Matt loved so fully, to help the family at this time," the post continued.

It also revealed that both Matthew and Justin had both been let go from their jobs during the summer, leaving the family struggling to cover the unexpected costs of bringing him home, his funeral and a memorial.

"If Matt has ever made you laugh, said an encouraging word right when you needed it, or ordered one too many appetizers for the enjoyment of the whole table, now is the time to repay the favor," the message continued.

"Please donate what you can and share this with anyone who’s been in the orbit of Matt’s huge heart. And when you’re at dinner and see a sunset, know that Matt is looking down, loving you, but wildly disappointed in what you ordered."

Wright was an executive producer on the show (Syndication)

In the hours after the news was confirmed, Wright's former boss DeGeneres honoured his memory, claiming he was always the glue that held their television family together.

Introducing Matthew as the executive producer who was frequently featured on her show, she remembered him as an incredible person who always knew how to make her laugh.

"He was an amazing guy," she said, struggling to hold back tears as she spoke about the devastating loss. "He was funny. God, he made me laugh."

The comedian went on to recall how Wright would regularly surprise her, describing him as both caring and intelligent in her teary video.

"He would surprise me with things that he did all the time," DeGeneres continued. "He was smart. He was kind. He was the part of our show that - I mean, everyone loved him."

The former daytime host also revealed that the pair had been planning to work together on a new project, which they had been due to start before his sudden death.

Wright's death was confirmed in a GoFundMe (Instagram/@GoFundMe)

Lastly, DeGeneres remembered Wright's close friendship with the show's former DJ Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, who died in 2022.

Reflecting on their bond, she suggested that the pair were now reunited, dancing and laughing together.

Wright had worked on DeGeneres' series for an impressive 16 years, working on the programme from 2006 until it came to an end in 2022.

Despite most of his work taking place behind the scenes, he regularly appeared in DeGeneres' most popular segments, including 'Strong Opinions With Matt', where he shared his often hilarious takes on everyday topics.

When the show wrapped in 2022, Wright reflected on just how much the experience had meant to him.

"How do I even begin to sum up 16 years of my life?" he wrote on Instagram at the time. "I’ve made so many best friends, had so many amazing experiences, met so many heroes of mine and even fell in love thanks to this show.

"I will forever be grateful to @theellenshow for taking a chance on me and changing my life! Here’s to an amazing run!"