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Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss speaks out after allegations of show’s toxic environment: ‘There’s been love’

Boss has worked on The Ellen Degeneres Show and Ellen’s Game of Games

Isobel Lewis
Wednesday 12 August 2020 08:56 BST
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The Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss has spoken positively about his time on the show amid allegations of “toxicity” on set.

In the light of claims of sexual misconduct, harassment and workplace bullying taking place behind-the-scenes on the show, a number of celebrities and DeGeneres’s friends have spoken out in defence of the TV host.

Boss, who rose to fame on the 2008 season of So You Think You Can Dance, has a long-standing professional relationship with DeGeneres, having been featured on her talk show as an in-house DJ since 2014 and as the presenter’s sidekick on spin-off game show Ellen’s Game of Games.

Speaking on Tuesday (11 August) Boss told Us Weekly that while the show’s legal situation made it hard to comment, his experience on the show had been positive.

“Obviously there’s some things to address, but from my standpoint and from countless others, there’s been love,” Boss said.

Boss and DeGeneres with Hillary Clinton in 2015
Boss and DeGeneres with Hillary Clinton in 2015 (FilmMagic)

“I’ll just leave it at that until there’s a time where we can address more publicly. There’s been love and there’ll continue to be love.”

His comments arrive after Tony Okungbowa, who served as the show’s DJ before Boss, expressed a different view.

Okungbowa wrote on social media last week: “While I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me, I did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment and I stand with my former colleagues in their quest to create a healthier and more inclusive workplace as the show moves forward.”

DeGeneres’s US talk show is currently undergoing an internal investigation following the allegations.

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While DeGeneres herself has not been personally accused of mistreating staff, she said in a statement that as the face of the show she took “full responsibility” for the situation.

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