via Twitter that for now she would be shooting her show without a studio audience to protect the health and safety of the fans, staff, and crew. In a tweet dated March 13, 2020, DeGeneres announced that production of the show had been suspended until March 30, 2020, to protect the health of her audience and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting on April 6, 2020, the show was produced from her own home. On April 16, 2020, Variety reported that crew members had accused the show of not communicating about their pay during the pandemic-induced shutdown. For the 18th season premiere, DeGeneres returned to the studio with a virtual audience, and a 6-foot table between DeGeneres and her guests. For the 19th season premiere, the live audience returned wearing masks. By the end of the final season, masks were optional. Controversy over work culture In 2018, The New York Times profiled DeGeneres as she faced decisions of renewing her talk show contract, and exploring other outlets for her creativity including her Netflix comedy special Relatable (2018), which spoofed her public image. When asked about anonymous tabloid reports that she is not always nice to her workers, she said the accusations were false, saying "The one thing I want is for everyone to be happy and proud of where they work, and if not, don't work here." In July 2020, BuzzFeed News ran articles in which anonymous former employees accused the show of being a toxic workplace, accused the executive producers of harassment, as well as alleging an atmosphere with racist comments and microaggressions. WarnerMedia began an investigation. DeGeneres apologized to her staff, writing that "she intended for her show to be a place where 'no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect' and that she was 'disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. Following the investigation, three executives were fired, executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman, and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman. The show vowed to take steps to change the culture; DeGeneres apologized again during the eighteenth season's September 2020 opening. Her DJ, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, was promoted to co-executive producer and has served as host of the show filling in for her. Ending On May 12, 2021, shortly after the controversy, DeGeneres confirmed that the show would conclude at the end of the 2021–22 season, the show's nineteenth,