Who was Matt Wright? Ellen DeGeneres breaks down over death of her former Executive Producer

Ellen DeGeneres is mourning the sudden death of Matt Wright, a longtime producer who spent 16 years working on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The 52-year-old died on October 30 in what his family described as an “unfathomable tragedy.”
DeGeneres became emotional while remembering him in an Instagram video, revealing that they had been preparing to work together again. She also spoke about Wright’s close friendship with the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss. The inputs are taken from Parade and PEOPLE.

Who was Matt Wright, Ellen DeGeneres’ longtime producer?

Matt Wright worked behind the scenes on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for more than 15 years and frequently appeared in its comedy sketches. His appearances made him familiar to viewers, while his work as an executive producer made him an important part of the show's team. According to his LinkedIn profile, he later worked as a consulting producer on The Jennifer Hudson Show and became senior supervising producer of The Drew Barrymore Show.

Wright died while working remotely in Los Angeles, according to a GoFundMe page created by his family. The fundraiser said his husband, Justin, along with his father, sister and niece, were in New York and hoping to bring him home for a proper goodbye.

The family also explained that both Wright and Justin had been laid off during the summer. They said the unexpected expenses of bringing him home, arranging a funeral and holding a memorial were difficult to manage.

What did Ellen DeGeneres say about Matt Wright’s death?

DeGeneres shared an emotional video tribute on November 2. Struggling to hold back tears, she described Wright as funny, smart and kind. “He was an amazing guy,” she said. “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. He was the part of our show that — I mean, everyone loved him.”

She added, “I loved him. And it’s just shocking — it’s shocking.”

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The former host also revealed that she and Wright had been planning a new project together. “We were working on a project to do together that we were supposed to start,” she said.

Matt Wright’s close bond with Stephen “tWitch” Boss

DeGeneres also remembered Wright’s friendship with Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the former DJ and executive producer of her show who died in December 2022. “He and tWitch were so close. So now he and tWitch are together, dancing and laughing,” she said.

Her tribute was followed by a montage of Wright’s funny appearances on the show. Wright is survived by his husband, Justin, and other family members and friends.