'Variety's Matt Donnelly tells ET that the host is taking 'a lot more accountability' for the show's issues.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is back in production and making changes after several former staff members' disturbing allegations about workplace environment led to an investigation.
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. confirmed to ET on Monday that executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman have left the show, while the program's resident DJ, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, has been promoted to co-executive producer after for six years on Ellen.
Variety's Matt Donnelly tells ET what tWitch's new title could mean for the show. "In that role, he'll obviously have more influence in the programming of the show, [including] guests and music," Donnelly explains, noting that this is only the beginning.
"I would say that the promotion of tWitch and the dismissal of these other three is a really good start," he says, adding, "But there is a long way to go for everyone. ...I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some notable hires."
On day one of DeGeneres and the staff returning to work, she poured her heart out to about 200 of the show's employees in a video chat. Donnelly reports that at one point, the talk show host did break down in tears, taking "a lot more accountability" then she has in the past and noting that she "trusted the wrong people."
"She seemed quite disturbed by accounts that you can't look her in the eye, the guests were discouraged from engaging with staff," Donnelly says of DeGeneres' meeting with her staff. "All this to say, the end of that section of her speech, she did say, please look at her. Please talk to her and engage."
In addition to tWitch's promotion and three producers leaving Ellen, there will also be a human resources employee assigned permanently to the show so "staff can have a place to go to report any grievances," says Donnelly.
"I think what will change at Ellen is that everyone will be much more aware, sensitive and conscious of other people -- who they hire, how they treat each other and what the message 'be kind' really means," Donnelly notes.
A new episode of Ellen is to premiere on Sept. 14.
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