Matthew Wright, Executive Producer for Ellen DeGeneres, Dies at 52

Matthew Wright, a longtime executive producer for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," died suddenly on October 30 at the age of 52 while working remotely in Los Angeles. His family described his passing as an unfathomable tragedy, though an immediate cause of death has not been publicly released.

Wright spent 16 years working on DeGeneres's daytime talk show, from 2006 until its conclusion in 2022. Following the news of his death, Ellen DeGeneres shared an emotional video on Instagram, fighting back tears as she remembered her colleague and friend.

"He was an amazing guy. He was funny. God, he made me laugh," DeGeneres said in her video message. "He would surprise me with things that he did all the time. He was smart. He was kind. He was the part of our show that — I mean, everyone loved him. I loved him. And it's just shocking — it's shocking." She added that Wright would always remain the glue of the show's entire family.

Fellow executive producer Andy Lassner also honored Wright, revealing that he had seen him just hours before his death when Wright visited the set of "The Jennifer Hudson Show" during its Halloween taping. Lassner praised his former colleague as a brilliant producer and an exceptional human being, noting the deep devotion Wright showed to his mother and his friends.

Jennifer Hudson also shared her condolences, recalling that Wright had just stopped by her show's set days prior. "He made such a huge impact on so many people in this industry and beyond!" Hudson stated.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched by Wright's family to help cover funeral expenses and transport his remains back to New York, where his husband, Justin, and other relatives reside. The campaign notes that both Wright and his husband had been laid off during the summer, leaving the family facing unexpected financial burdens. The fundraiser quickly surpassed its initial target, with contributions including a $5,000 donation from DeGeneres.

In her tribute, DeGeneres also reflected on Wright's close bond with former show DJ Stephen "tWitch" Boss, who died by suicide in 2022, expressing solace in the thought that the two colleagues are now together again.