The cause of death of Ellen DeGeneres producer Matthew Wright has been revealed after he died suddenly at the age of 52.
The producer — who worked on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for 16 years — died of cardiopulmonary arrest on Oct. 30, according to a death certificate obtained by People.
Hypertension was listed as the underlying cause, with obstructive sleep apnea and class II obesity considered contributing factors to his death, according to the outlet.
Page Six previously exclusively reported that Wright suffered from “heart problems” before his death.
DeGeneres, 68, reflected on Wright’s death in an Instagram tribute posted on November 2.
“My God, he was an incredible guy,” she shared. “He made me laugh; he surprised me with the things he did all the time.”
“He was smart, he was kind…I mean, everyone loved him,” she continued. “I loved him. And it’s just shocking, it’s shocking.”
Wright died in “unfathomable tragedy” while working remotely in Los Angeles, according to a GoFundMe set up to help her husband, Justin, and his family with funeral expenses.
“As many of you know, Matt and Justin were both laid off this summer,” the fundraising page reads. “And the unexpected costs of bringing Matt home, attending the funeral and memorial service are impossible for the family to bear.”
DeGeneres donated $5,000 to the fundraiser; However, his donation sparked debate online when social media users noted that the comedian could have “wiped out” the entire $50,000 goal – which has since been surpassed to a staggering $98,000 as of the time of publishing this article on Friday.
Even those close to Wright encouraged DeGeneres to “do more,” we exclusively reported.
Wright began her work on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in 2006 and remained there until it ended in 2022.
The producer has appeared on the talk show several times, often participating in comedic bits.
In her Instagram post, DeGeneres shared highlights from her appearances over the years, including a recurring segment called “Strong Opinions with Matt.”
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was rocked by scandal in 2020, when 10 former employees accused the host of creating a “toxic” atmosphere on set of “racism, fear and intimidation.”
DeGeneres later responded to the claims on camera and apologized to those affected, but stressed that she was still “the person you see on TV.”
The series ended two years after its allegedly toxic atmosphere made headlines.
DeGeneres addressed the drama in her 2024 comedy special “For Your Approval,” admitting that “the idea of someone thinking[she’s]evil was devastating” and “consumed her for a long time.”
“After a lifetime of care, I can’t take it anymore. So I don’t do it,” added the actor.
DeGeneres, who has lived in England with wife Portia de Rossi since late 2024, insisted she was “happy not to be a boss or a brand or a billboard, just a person”.
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