Matthew Wright passes away at 52: How did 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' producer die? Cause of death revealed

Matthew Wright, producer of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, died on October 30, 2026. He was 52. The cause of death has been revealed. According to the death certificate obtained by PEOPLE, he died from cardiopulmonary arrest. The underlying cause was listed as hypertension. Other contributing conditions were identified as obstructive sleep apnea and Class II obesity.

A GoFundMe page created to support Wright’s family following his demise says that he died "suddenly but peacefully in his sleep" in Los Angeles. Dubbing his passing "unfathomable tragedy," the nine-time Emmy winner’s family says that they are struggling to cover the costs of bringing his body home to New York.

According to the page, Wright and his husband, Justin, were both laid off over the summer. The amount raised through the GoFundMe will also go towards funeral expenses and a memorial in L.A.


According to TMZ, Ellen DeGeneres donated $5K and posted an emotional tribute to her late producer on social media. Andy Lassner, longtime executive producer of the show, also made a donation stating that he had just visited the "Jennifer Hudson Show" set hours before his death.

Matthew Wright career highlights

Wright’s GoFundMe page says his career in television “exemplary.” “Matt’s exemplary career in daytime television began with an internship on “The Sally Jessy Raphael Show.” From there, he went on to produce thousands of hours of television for daytime juggernauts like “The View,” “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and “The Drew Barrymore Show,” it reads.


Also Read: Ellen producer Matthew Wright’s sudden death: family shares new details about his final hours


“During his sixteen-year tenure as an executive producer on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Matt produced segments for the highest-profile celebrity guests including Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Due to his comically strong opinions, he was also featured as an on-air personality, providing his thoughts on everything from Bounty paper towels to group Halloween costumes,” the page further stated.