Ellen DeGeneres has opened up about her decision to end her eponymous talk show in an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/COywk5sDD9C">emotional monologue</a>. On May 12, the 63-year-old media mogul <a href="https://vt.co/entertainment/film-tv/ellen-degeneres-is-ending-her-talk-show-after-18-seasons">made headlines with news that she would be ending her show after an 18-year run</a>. Addressing her devoted viewers, DeGeneres explained why she's bowing out of the show as part of the monologue for a yet-to-be-aired episode. She told fans: "Today I have an announcement to make. It’s a big one. Today I’m announcing that next season, season 19 is going to be my last." On her decision to wrap up her show, DeGeneres said it was a question of "timing". She explained: "The truth is, I’ve always trusted my instincts. And my instinct told me it’s time." Check out her emotional monologue below: [[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/6A6xaY8X-dkXnENEs.mp4||6A6xaY8X]] Degeneres recalled: "In 1997, I knew it was time to come out on my sitcom and live my truth. Back then, I had a vivid dream that a bird flew out of a cage and needed to set itself free." In jest, she added: "Well last night I had a dream that a bird, a beautiful bird with bright red feathers, came to my window and whispered, 'You can still do stuff for Netflix'." The comic continued: "The past 18 years have changed my life. You’ve changed my life. I am forever grateful to all of you for watching, for laughing, for dancing... sometimes crying. "This show has been the greatest experience of my life and I owe it all to you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." <img class="size-large wp-image-1263107711" src="https://img.vt.co/2021/05/2AJXTYM-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: dpa picture alliance / Alamy]] DeGeneres went on to explain that she had discussed the decision with her wife, actress Portia de Rossi. She said: "I talked to Portia. I talked to myself. A few times I was talking to myself and Portia thought I was talking to her. The point is, I need to take a break from talking." The TV legend, who has decided to bring the show to an end in 2022, explained: "I always knew in my heart that season 19 would be my last." Degeneres then went on to explain why 19 is such a "great" number to end on. She said: "First of all, the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. This may be controversial, but I believe women should be allowed to vote," she jokingly added. "There, I said it. Also, on the periodic table, 19 is the atomic number for potassium." <img class="size-full wp-image-1263098166" src="https://img.vt.co/2021/03/PA-49882734-min-scaled.jpg" alt="Ellen DeGeneres" width="2560" height="1707" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Images / Alamy]] The heartfelt monologue will air in today's episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show. Degeneres announced her decision to end her long-running show during an interview with <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ellen-degeneres-show-end-1234951571/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. She told the outlet: "When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore." It comes nearly a year after she became the center of a media storm following rumors that her show perpetuated a <a href="https://vt.co/entertainment/film-tv/ellen-degeneres-is-ending-her-talk-show-after-18-seasons">"toxic work environment"</a>. <h6>Featured image credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy</h6>

Ellen DeGeneres explains reason for her decision to end talk show in emotional monologue

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