Katy Perry has spoken out in defense of her friend Ellen DeGeneres following the host's bullying scandal.
The 35-year-old singer, who is pregnant with her first child, took to Twitter to assert that she has only had positive experiences with Ellen.
“I know I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience besides my own but I want to acknowledge that I have only ever had positive takeaways from my time with Ellen & on the @theellenshow,” she wrote on Twitter.
"I think we all have witnessed the light & continual fight for equality that she has brought to the world through her platform for decades. Sending you love & a hug, friend @TheEllenShow."
This comes after it emerged that James Corden is being considered to replace DeGeneres on her eponymous talk show, according to numerous reports, per The Independent.
According to a source at the series' network NBC, Corden, of The Late Late Show, is the favorite to replace DeGeneres, who detailed that the British star has always been seen as her "long term successor", even prior to the bullying scandal.
"This issue has fast tracked everything and made everyone look at the future today," an insider told The Sun. "James Corden was being eyed for Ellen’s job in the long term before any of this came to light. Now this shocking new development places a spotlight on the next step."
After a Buzzfeed report referenced a number of erstwhile employees who alleged that they had experienced racism, bullying and sexual harassment, the Ellen DeGeneres Show is now undergoing an internal investigation.
Last month, DeGeneres sent an emotional plea to her employees promising changes to the series, which has been in production since 2013.
"On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ would be a place of happiness - no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect,” she wrote in an email to staff on Thursday (30th July).
"Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. We all have to be more mindful about the way our words and actions affect others."
She added that she was glad her production team was “finally having conversations about fairness and justice”.
The statement continued that while "not all of the allegations were corroborated", WarnerBros was "disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management".
Yesterday, DeGeneres' wife, Portia De Rossi, spoke out in support of the television host.
Taking to Instagram to share an image that includes the message "I Stand By Ellen," De Rossi wrote, "To all our fans....we see you. Thank you for your support."