Ellen DeGeneres Honors Stephen “tWitch” Boss After His Death

Ellen DeGeneres is mourning the loss of her friend. 

The talk show host shared an emotional tribute to Stephen “tWitch” Boss, The Ellen DeGeneres Show‘s longtime DJ, following his death on Dec. 14 at age 40.

“I’m heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart,” DeGeneres told E! News in a statement. “I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children – Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.”

The comedian also posted her note to Instagram, alongside a photo of the two hugging.

After joining the daytime talk show in 2014, Boss quickly became a fan favorite, becoming co-executive producer on the series in 2020 until its end in 2022, during which he often filled in for DeGeneres as host.

DeGeneres’ statement is one of several tributes from Ellen DeGeneres Show colleagues. The show’s executive producer Andy Lassner posted a screengrab of him with Boss and DeGeneres in a car from an episode, writing, “Rest, my friend.”

Kalen Allen, who provided commentary on the talk show, shared a moving message on Instagram to to his “beloved friend, confidant, and brother.”