Family of Ellen DeGeneres' producer reveals he died peacefully in sleep.

The family of Matt Wright, the longtime executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has revealed that he died "peacefully in his sleep" while visiting Los Angeles.

Wright was 52 years old.

He worked alongside Ellen DeGeneres for 16 years, from 2006 until the show ended in 2022.

His death occurred last week, on Friday, October 30, 2026.

The news was announced through a statement shared on a GoFundMe page set up by his family.

In that statement, his family described his death as "sudden" but also said he had passed "peacefully in his sleep."

The GoFundMe was created to raise money for two specific purposes: transporting Wright's body from Los Angeles back to his home state of New York, and covering funeral expenses.

The family wrote that these were "unexpected costs" that were "impossible for the family to bear."

The statement included a personal note about Wright's character: "If Matt has ever made you laugh, said an encouraging word right when you needed it, or ordered one too many appetizers for the enjoyment of the whole table, now is the time to repay the favour."

The family also said any additional donations beyond the funeral costs would be used to support Wright's niece, Samantha, whom they described as his "pride and joy."

By Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the campaign had raised more than $94,000.

Among the donors was Ellen DeGeneres herself, who contributed $5,000.

DeGeneres also paid tribute to Wright in an emotional Instagram video on Monday, November 2.

In the video, she said: "God, he was an amazing guy."

She added: "He made me laugh, he would surprise me with things he did all the time. He was smart, he was kind… I mean, everyone loved him. I loved him. And it's just shocking, it's shocking."

DeGeneres also revealed that she and Wright had been planning to collaborate on a new project before his death, though she did not disclose any details about the planned production.

Wright joined The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2006 and remained with the production through its final season in 2022.

Over those 16 years, he rose through the ranks to become an executive producer.

He also appeared regularly in comedy segments alongside DeGeneres, becoming a familiar face to the show's audience.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ran for 19 seasons and became one of the most recognizable daytime talk shows in American television history.

It was known for celebrity interviews, comedy sketches, and audience giveaways.

Wright was a nine-time Emmy Award-winning producer.

His death has drawn attention not only for the loss itself but also for the financial circumstances surrounding it.

According to a source who spoke exclusively to Page Six, Wright and his husband had both been laid off over the summer.

That layoff left the family without the resources to handle the sudden costs of a cross-country body transport and funeral.

The initial goal for the GoFundMe was set at $50,000.

DeGeneres' $5,000 donation has drawn criticism from some members of the public.

DeGeneres has an estimated net worth of $500 million.

Social media users have pointed out the disparity between that net worth and the size of her donation.

One user wrote: "Big spender. She was crying her eyes out so much why didn't she just pay the entire 50k."

Another commented: "Wow, 0.001% of her net worth! How generous!"

A third said: "5k from an almost billionaire…….how generous………."