MARRIAGE IN CRISIS?

He revealed that Ellen’s producers also made explicit instructions about how to interact with her. “‘No-one is to talk to Ellen,” Neil recalled being told. “You don’t talk to her, you don’t approach her, you don’t look at her.”

Amid growing reports that she is likely to walk away from the talk show, another source told New Idea that it was only a matter of time before the beleaguered host’s “unacceptable behaviour toward staff and guests” finally caught up with her.

“I can’t believe it’s taken this long to be exposed,” says the source. “Ellen knows the future is looking bleak and she’s like a bear with a sore head.”

Ellen’s 12-year marriage to Portia de Rossi has also been affected by the scandal, with New Idea’s exclusive source suggesting all is not well at home. Last week, Portia appeared to publicly defend her embattled wife by sharing a graphic on Instagram that read, “I Stand By Ellen”. The Aussie-born star captioned the post: “To all our fans ... we see you. Thank you for your support.”

However, according to our source, it might only be a matter of time before the cracks start showing. Ellen has been ordered to keep a low profile while her show undergoes an internal bullying investigation. And friends are concerned that Portia, 47, will end up bearing the brunt of Ellen’s downfall, and are begging her to get out before it’s too late.

“Portia has her own mental health issues to deal with – she doesn’t need the complications of Ellen’s on her shoulders too,” says a friend.