After nearly two decades of daytime dominance, Ellen DeGeneres is making a quieter kind of noise—one that comes with chickens, broken lawnmowers, and a sharp new hair color. The comedian and former talk show titan has relocated to the English countryside with her wife Portia de Rossi, trading Hollywood sun for British clouds and, apparently, a lot of grass to mow.

Ellen DeGeneres reveals a playful yet rocky start to her UK country life

In a recent Instagram post, Ellen gave fans a glimpse of her rustic life in the Cotswolds. The clip, shot by de Rossi, shows Ellen’s first attempt at operating a lawnmower—an effort that ends with her being pushed after the machine breaks down. It’s a small moment, but one that perfectly captures Ellen’s new vibe: casual, self-aware, and a little bit clumsy in the best way.

“Portia thought it would be fun to film my first time on the mower,” Ellen captioned the video. “She was right.”

The video follows a growing collection of rural content from Ellen’s account, including her latest venture into rowing (with a joke about not knowing which end of the boat is forward) and her expanding family of chickens. Yes, there are more chickens. And no, they’re not the only ones making an appearance on Ellen’s feed.

From blonde to brunette: Ellen’s new look signals a fresh start

For years, Ellen was synonymous with her signature platinum blonde hair. Now, she’s embraced a darker shade that mirrors her shift away from the bright, artificial glow of studio lighting and into the natural, uneven light of the outdoors. Her brunette transformation has been met with curiosity and approval, and Ellen herself seems to be having fun with it.

The hairstyle change isn’t just aesthetic. It comes after Ellen’s public and professional reckoning in recent years—a period that saw her move away from daytime TV, address workplace allegations, and rebrand herself through comedy and honesty.

In her Netflix special Ellen’s Last Stand…Up, she joked about her fall from grace: “Let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me since you last saw me. I got chickens. Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean.”

Moving abroad after controversy and a political shift

Ellen and Portia’s move to the UK came in late 2024, more than two years after The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended its run. While Ellen has never explicitly stated why she left the U.S., many outlets link the relocation to her feelings about the political landscape—specifically, the 2024 presidential election.

It’s a pattern seen across Hollywood: stars seeking refuge or reinvention in Europe. Ellen’s English farm life echoes a similar migration by figures like Rosie O'Donnell, who now lives in Ireland, and Christina Milian, who has made Paris her home.

Unlike some, Ellen hasn’t heavily commented on her departure from America. Instead, she’s allowed her content to do the talking—lighthearted, charming, and occasionally self-deprecating. It’s the same approach that once made her a TV staple and now serves her as a creator off-screen.

Life after Ellen: A conscious step away from the spotlight

With her talk show behind her and her comedy career winding down, Ellen has made it clear she’s ready to move on. Her Last Stand…Up tour was, by her own admission, a final curtain call. “This is the last time you’re going to see me,” she said during the Netflix special’s promotion.

And she means it. Whether that final appearance was comedic, confessional, or both, it marked the end of an era. Now, Ellen’s era is about quiet mornings, failed lawn equipment, and a handful of chickens she can’t help but anthropomorphize on Instagram.

What fans can learn from Ellen’s reinvention

There’s a lot of noise in Ellen’s post-Show life—some of it from her past, some of it from the media—but her recent posts cut through it with simplicity. She’s no longer the flawless, fast-talking host of a daytime empire. She’s someone learning to row, breaking down mowers, and growing into a new phase away from the spectacle.

For a woman who once said her show would be a “place of happiness,” Ellen’s countryside content feels honest in its own way. It’s not glamorous. It’s not dramatic. It just is.

And that might be the most Ellen-y thing of all.