Ellen DeGeneres Remotes Producer Matthew Wright After Sudden Death

Matthew Wright, a veteran producer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has died at the age of 52. A fundraising page established to support his family states that Wright passed away on Oct. 30 while working remotely in Los Angeles. The page describes the event as an unfathomable tragedy, though no specific cause of death has been released publicly. ABC News contacted the organizer of the fundraiser to request a statement.

Ellen DeGeneres posted a tribute video to Instagram on Monday to honor Wright. In the clip, she described him as a funny, smart, and kind individual who often surprised her with his actions. DeGeneres stated that everyone loved Wright and called his passing shocking. She referred to him as the glue that held the entire show family together. The video served as her primary public acknowledgment of the loss.

Andy Lassner, an executive producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, also paid tribute on Instagram on Sunday. Lassner noted that Wright visited him recently on the set of The Jennifer Hudson Show, where Lassner currently serves as an executive producer. The visit occurred on Thursday during the taping of the Halloween episode. Lassner shared several photographs of the two men together in his post.

Lassner wrote that he was in shock after Wright died a few hours following the visit. He described Wright as a brilliant producer and an even better human being. Lassner expressed deep sympathy for Wright's husband, Justin, and their family, noting that he was fortunate to work beside Wright for many years and consider him a friend. He lamented that the two should have had more time together.

Wright worked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a producer from 2006 to 2022. His IMDb page confirms this 16-year tenure. When the daytime talk show concluded in 2022, Wright posted to Instagram reflecting on his time with the program. He questioned how to sum up 16 years of his life and credited the show with helping him make best friends and meet heroes. He stated that he fell in love thanks to the show and remained forever grateful to the team for taking a chance on him.

The show ended its run in 2022, marking the end of Wright's long association with the production. He had been a key figure in the show's executive team for over a decade. His death was confirmed through the family's fundraising page, which is currently active to assist his loved ones.