Ellen DeGeneres Show Executive Producer Matthew Wright Dies at 52

Matthew Wright, 52, died on Oct. 30, ending a 16 year production career that spanned the height of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The former executive producer worked remotely in Los Angeles at the time of his death. A fundraising page established to support his family describes the event as an unfathomable tragedy, though no cause of death has been publicly released.

Wright served as a producer on the ABC daytime program from 2006 to 2022. His tenure covered the show's most commercially successful years, including its transition from the Sunset Gower Studios to its final run in Burbank. In a 2022 post marking the show's finale, Wright reflected on his time on the crew, stating that he had met many heroes and fallen in love thanks to the job. He expressed gratitude to the network for taking a chance on him, noting that the position changed his life.

Ellen DeGeneres shared a video tribute on Instagram on Monday. She recalled Wright as a funny and smart individual who made her laugh and surprised her with his actions. She called him the glue to our entire family and said his death was shocking. DeGeneres described him as kind and someone everyone loved. The video served as a primary channel for the show's host to address the loss to her audience.

Andy Lassner, an executive producer on The Jennifer Hudson Show, posted a tribute on Sunday. He shared photos of himself and Wright taken on Thursday during the filming of a Halloween episode. Lassner noted that Wright had visited the set a few hours before he died. He described Wright as a brilliant producer and an even better human being. Lassner said he was lucky to work beside Wright for many years and to call him a friend, expressing regret that they should have had more time together.

The producer is survived by his husband, Justin. Lassner said his heart breaks for Justin and the family. ABC News contacted the organizer of the fundraising page for comment. The page serves as a central resource for those wishing to provide financial support to Wright's family during this time.