Tiffany Haddish addresses Ellen replacement rumours

Tiffany Haddish isn’t replacing Ellen DeGeneres anytime soon. At least not in any official capacity.

Ever since DeGeneres announced she was ending The Ellen DeGeneres Show next year, the Girls Trip star has been rumoured to take over the gig. Haddish finally addressed those rumours on an episode of The Breakfast Club this week, saying the news is… well, news to her.

“I haven't commented on it because ain't nobody that give those jobs talk to me about it,” she revealed. “The reason I've even been popping up guest-hosting Ellen is because she wanted some days off.”

Fair enough, considering DeGeneres’ recent media tour. Meanwhile, as far as Haddish is concerned she’s just taking the opportunity to learn a new format of TV. “I'm learning a new skill. That's it. Y'all just watching me learn in front of everybody,” she added.

Haddish then revealed she has a few more episodes of the daytime talk show to host, but then that’s it as far as she knows. “I don't know if that's grooming me to take over because ain't nobody talk to me about that,” she said. “Ain't nobody said nothing to me about that.”

But, would she take over hosting duties if the aforementioned powers-that-be were to put out an offer? “If I could get what Ellen getting,” Haddish quipped.

Who wouldn’t do it for that kind of coin? DeGeneres is reportedly worth $500 million and makes about $75 million a year hosting the series. Most people in the world don’t make that much money in their lifetime.

While Haddish fans await more potential news on the hosting front, DeGeneres continues to plot out her exit. Last week the daytime host announced she was ending her series after 19 years, coinciding with the end date in her most recent, three-year contract.

The news of the show coming to an end wasn’t exactly shocking, given the year DeGeneres has had. There were the allegations of the show being a toxic workplace, followed by an investigation and the firing of top producers. Meanwhile, Ellen herself tried to do damage control but her ratings still tanked when the show kicked off its most recent season.

On a personal front DeGeneres was also diagnosed with COVID-19 late last year and then this past March she had to rush her wife, Portia de Rossi, to the hospital for an emergency surgery on her appendicitis. Those kinds of health scares can definitely make a person reevaluate their daily grind.

“When you're a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged — and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it's just not a challenge anymore,” DeGeneres told The Hollywood Reporter about her decision to ultimately end the show.

“I told the crew and I told the staff and there were tears,” DeGeneres further revealed in a follow-up interview with Oprah Winfrey. “And it was really hard, because I do love everyone here. We do have a relationship. And it’s every single day for me. I come in every day and it’s my life. And theirs too. But I wanted to give them a year.”

Luckily, the crew also now has a year for Warner Bros. to also find a new host. We hear Haddish is available.

BEFORE YOU GO: Emma Watson shuts down engagement and retirement news