Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, may be plotting a return to California after spending more than a year in the English countryside.

Sources tell The Mail on Sunday that the former talk show host, 67, and de Rossi, 52, reportedly miss their friends and are weary of Britain's harsh winter weather.

"Ellen was adamant that she and Portia were going to stay in the UK while Trump was in the White House, but evidently she's changed her mind somewhat," a source said.

The source added, "She's been telling friends they are coming home soon because they miss them and can't take the winters over there, and Portia wants to act again. They will be here for the holidays and longer by the sound of it."

The couple, who married in 2008 after meeting in 2001, left California following Donald Trump's 2024 re-election.

DeGeneres later explained their decision, "We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, 'He got in'. And we're like, 'We're staying here.'"

Life in the Cotswolds

DeGeneres and de Rossi settled at Kitesbridge Farm in Asthall, Oxfordshire, a seven-bedroom, 43-acre estate they purchased for $19 million in June 2024. The property quickly faced challenges: just weeks after moving in, the estate was surrounded by floodwater following Storm Bert.

Later in July 2025, the couple listed the home for $29 million with Sotheby's International Realty, but it remains unsold.

New reports from Daily Mail reveal that the estate was affected by flooding again this year after the River Windrush overflowed during Storm Claudia.

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ pair later relocated to a different hilltop estate in the Cotswolds, which not only accommodates de Rossi's horses but also the family's dogs, Sport, Jinx, and Kid.

While there were difficulties, the two of them still had a great time in England, tasting different local pubs and taking in the country's ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌life.

DeGeneres even hosted a one-woman show in Cheltenham in July, during which she confirmed that the Asthall property was now for sale.

California Pulls Them Back

Insiders suggest that DeGeneres and de Rossi's desire to return is motivated not only by the weather but also by personal and professional reasons.

"Ellen was very clear that they're coming back to California sooner rather than later. They miss the warm weather and their friends," the source added.

De Rossi, who has stepped back from acting since moving to the UK, is reportedly interested in resuming her career in Hollywood.

The couple's initial move to the UK also reflected political and social concerns.

DeGeneres mentioned fears about efforts to reverse same-sex marriage in the U.S. and embraced rural life with chickens, sheep, and her beloved pets.

"Portia flew her horses here, and I have chickens, and we had sheep for about two weeks," DeGeneres said.

Career, Controversy, and Moving Forward

DeGeneres ended her eponymous talk show in 2022 amid accusations of fostering a toxic workplace environment first reported by Buzzfeed in 2020. She issued both written and on-air apologies, but later described the scandal as "misogynistic" and "too orchestrated, too coordinated."

In a 2024 Netflix special, "For Your Approval," she joked that she had been "kicked out of show business" for being "mean."

Before moving abroad, DeGeneres built a massive fortune through real estate investments in Montecito, California, and sold several U.S. properties in 2025, including a $5.2 million investment home.

Tags
Ellen Degeneres, Portia de Rossi