Matthew Wright, a producer who worked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for 16 years, has died at the age of 52. His cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest, according to a death certificate obtained by People. Hypertension was listed as an underlying cause.
Other contributing factors noted on the certificate included Class II obesity and obstructive sleep apnea. Wright passed away on Friday, October 30.
Ellen DeGeneres paid tribute to Wright in a tearful video shared on Instagram, calling him "the glue to our entire family at the Ellen Show." She recalled his humor and kindness, stating, "He was an amazing guy, he was funny, god he made me laugh." DeGeneres also noted Wright's close relationship with the late Stephen "tWitch" Boss, saying, "And now he and tWitch are together, dancing and laughing."
A GoFundMe page established to support Wright's family stated that he died "suddenly but peacefully in his sleep." The page mentioned that both Wright and his husband, Justin, had been laid off earlier in the summer, leaving them unable to bear the unexpected costs of a funeral and memorial.
Andy Lassner, a fellow executive producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, shared that he had seen Wright just hours before his death, describing him as "a brilliant producer and an even better human being."
Wright's tenure on The Ellen DeGeneres Show spanned 16 years, concluding when the program ended in 2022. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity in a social media post, writing, "I've made so many best friends, had so many amazing experiences, met so many heroes of mine and even fell in love thanks to this show. I will forever be grateful to @theellenshow for taking a chance on me and changing my life!"
DeGeneres also recently made headlines for celebrating a Democratic midterm election victory, sharing a photo on Instagram with her wife, Portia de Rossi, shortly after the election results were announced.