Ellen DeGeneres show executive producer Matthew Wright dies at 52 after set visit

Matthew Wright, an executive producer who helped shape The Ellen DeGeneres Show for 16 years, died Oct. 30 at age 52.

The cause of death has not been released. A fundraising page established to support his family described the passing as an "unfathomable tragedy." ABC News contacted the page's organizer for further details but had not received a response as of Sunday.

Wright had a long tenure at the network. His IMDb page lists him as a producer on the show from 2006 to 2022. In a 2022 social media post marking the series finale, he reflected on that period. "How do I even begin to sum up 16 years of my life?" he wrote. He noted that the experience allowed him to form deep friendships and find love. "I will forever be grateful to @theellenshow for taking a chance on me and changing my life!" he added.

Colleagues began sharing tributes within 48 hours of his death. Andy Lassner, another executive producer on the show, posted on Instagram Sunday. Lassner, who now works on The Jennifer Hudson Show, said Wright visited the set Thursday to see the team filming a Halloween episode.

"These photos were taken Thursday, while we were taping our Halloween show. Matt came by to visit. A few hours later, he was gone," Lassner wrote. He included several photographs of the two men together. Lassner called Wright a "brilliant producer and an even better human being." He expressed grief for Wright's husband, Justin, and their shared friends. "We should have had so much more time with him," Lassner said.

DeGeneres followed with her own tribute on Instagram Monday. In a video, she recalled his humor and kindness. "He was an amazing guy," she said. "He was funny. God, he made me laugh. He would surprise me with things that he did all the time. He was smart. He was kind."

She described the news as shocking and called Wright "the glue to our entire family" on the show.