Former talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres has opened up about the continuous challenges of adapting to rural life in England with wife Portia de Rossi since relocating from the US
Ellen DeGeneres has opened up about life in the English countryside following her move to the UK with wife Portia de Rossi in November 2024. In a recent interview in Cheltenham with journalist Richard Bacon, the former talk show host discussed adjusting to rural life, the couple’s unexpected struggles with livestock, and the ongoing challenges facing LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.
DeGeneres, 67, described how she and de Rossi initially embraced their new surroundings, attempting to maintain the land around their home by riding lawn mowers daily to manage the pastures for their horses. However, the effort soon became overwhelming for them both.
“We just can’t keep up with this,” DeGeneres recalled telling de Rossi, who then suggested they bring in sheep to help with the overgrowth. According to DeGeneres, the idea quickly spiralled into a series of huge complications.
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“[Portia] said, ‘Let’s just get four sheep to put in the pastures with the horses,’ and we did. And the next morning they were just out and they were gone. They just climbed right out and then I had to buy electric fencing.”
The fencing did not solve the issue for the couple as the former talk-show host explained: “They were in there for a week. Then one got out and then they all got out. And then I was like I have to build an actual fence. So we built a fence and it was so ugly, it ruined everything. So I had to pay to take the fence down.”
She continued, “I spent so much money on those sheep. I can’t even tell you how much those sheep cost. It was Portia’s idea.”
DeGeneres also noted the added burden of the constant cleanup as she said: “They used the restroom everywhere, and the dog would get to it.”
Despite the mishaps, the couple have still been exploring various parts of the UK since moving across the pond last November.
DeGeneres humorously remarked on British place names, admitting she had trouble pronouncing them. “This is Cheltenham right? I don’t go, ‘Chelten-ham.’ Y’all are in such a hurry with your names. It should [be] ‘By-sister,’ but it’s ‘Bicester,’ right?”
She joked that town names must have been created with little time to spare: “We don’t have time for that.”
During the interview, DeGeneres also addressed more serious concerns, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S. “The Baptist church in America is trying to reverse gay marriage. They’re trying to at the very least stop it from happening in the future and possibly reverse it.”
She revealed that she and de Rossi are already preparing for the potential impact of U.S. policies. “Portia and I are already looking into it and if they do that, we’re going to get married here in Cheltenham. Have cheese on us,” she said.
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