Matthew Wright, a longtime executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has died. He was 52.
Wright died Oct. 30 while working remotely in Los Angeles, according to a fundraising page created to support his family.
Ellen DeGeneres mourns death of longtime producer Matthew Wright, 52
Nov 2, 2026 | 5:00 PM
His death was described as an “unfathomable tragedy.” No cause of death has been disclosed. ABC News has reached out to the fundraiser’s organizer for comment.
Ellen DeGeneres paid tribute to Wright in an emotional video on Instagram Monday, remembering Wright as a beloved member of her longtime talk show.
“He was an amazing guy,” DeGeneres said in the video. “He was funny. God, he made me laugh. He would surprise me with things that he did all the time. He was smart. He was kind.”
“Everyone loved him. I loved him. And it’s just shocking — it’s shocking,” she added.
DeGeneres also described Wright as “the glue to our entire family” at The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Andy Lassner, a fellow executive producer on the show, also paid tribute to Wright in an Instagram post Sunday.
Lassner said Wright had recently visited him on the set of The Jennifer Hudson Show, where Lassner now works as an executive producer, during filming for the show’s Halloween episode.
“These photos were taken Thursday, while we were taping our Halloween show. Matt came by to visit. A few hours later, he was gone,” he wrote in the post’s caption, alongside several photos of the two together. “We are all in shock. He was a brilliant producer and an even better human being. “
“My heart breaks for his husband, Justin, his family, and all of us who loved him,” he continued. “I was so lucky to work beside Matt for so many years and to call him my friend. We should have had so much more time with him.”
Wright served as a producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show from 2006 to 2022, according to his IMDb page.
He previously reflected on his 16 years working on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in a 2022 Instagram post marking the end of the daytime talk show.
“How do I even begin to sum up 16 years of my life?” he wrote at the time. “I’ve made so many best friends, had so many amazing experiences, met so many heroes of mine and even fell in love thanks to this show.”
He added, “I will forever be grateful to @theellenshow for taking a chance on me and changing my life!”
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
