Matthew Wright, longtime Ellen DeGeneres Show producer, dies at 52

Matthew Wright, a nine-time Emmy winning executive producer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, died on October 30 in Los Angeles at the age of 52. According to a death certificate obtained by People, the cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest, with hypertension listed as the underlying cause. Obstructive sleep apnea and Class II obesity were also noted as contributing conditions.

Wright, who worked on the program for 16 years from 2006 to 2022, was a frequent on-camera presence through his segment, “Strong Opinions with Matt.” Ellen DeGeneres honored him in an emotional Instagram video, describing him as the “glue” to the show’s family and praising his intelligence and kindness.

His family launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral costs and the expense of transporting his body from Los Angeles to New York. The fundraiser noted that both Wright and his husband, Justin Fusella, had been laid off earlier this summer. DeGeneres reportedly donated $5,000 to the campaign.