Ellen DeGeneres 'never thought' her show would last for 19 seasons

American media personality and TV host Ellen DeGeneres recently talked about her namesake talk show, which has been on-air since 2003 and said that she anticipated it going on for as long as it did.

According to People magazine, joined by Mario Lopez from 'Access Hollywood', on the set 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show', DeGeneres opened up about the piece of advice she would give her younger self in the year of her show's debut.

"I think I gave the advice on day one. I mean, I wanted to make a show that was really fun for everybody and an escape for an hour a day. Whatever was going on in the world, I wanted this to be a happy place. I wanted everyone here to have fun working here and I wanted to not take it for granted, to enjoy [it]," the 63-year-old comedian said.

All those years ago, DeGeneres never could have predicted her show's success and longevity. "But if you would have told me that in 19 years that I would be doing this 19 years later, I never thought it would last this long," she admitted.

"I thought it would do well, but, you know, talk shows don't last that long usually. So I'm, you know, beyond blessed and grateful for it going this long," continued the show's host.

DeGeneres had announced in May that her long-running talk show would conclude next year after its 19th season. Later addressing her decision while in conversation with Oprah Winfrey, DeGeneres said it was the "right thing" for her to do.

"I didn't rehearse the monologue. I knew what I was going to say, but the words hadn't come out of my mouth. So I was okay until I started talking and it became real. Obviously, I got emotional because it's real now. But I'm feeling good," DeGeneres previously said on her show.

The ending of the series comes a year after accusations that the show's set was alleged to be a toxic workplace, as per People magazine. The farewell season for 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' premiered on September 13.

( With inputs from ANI )