Ellen DeGeneres’s new life in the quaint English countryside has gone dramatically wrong – after her dream home was swamped by astonishing flooding just days after she moved in.
The talk show superstar is living in an idyllic multi-million pound farmhouse in the Cotswolds after deciding to emigrate from the US in protest at Donald Trump’s election win.
But rather than enjoying a pastoral retreat, Ellen, 66, and her wife Portia De Rossi, 51, have been left at the mercy of raging floods which have engulfed their new multi-million pound mansion, MailOnline can reveal.
Dramatic images show the couple’s 43-acre property in the Cotswolds has become swamped in a torrent of flood water following the devastating impact of Storm Bert.
The couple were left virtually marooned just days after moving into their new home after a tributary of the River Thames which runs beside the property broke its banks.
It came after the area was battered by days of torrential rain and winds of up to 80mph.
Roads surrounding the hideaway have been left impassable after being deluged in five feet of water – leaving locals trapped in their homes.
One stricken resident who lives near the couple said: ‘The flood waters are rising by the hour. This is the worst I have seen it in years.’
The dramatic scenes must seem a far cry from the life the couple left behind in sunny California.
According to US media, Ellen and wife Portia – who donated money to Kamala Harris’s doomed campaign – decided to ‘get the hell out’ after Trump’s election victory, apparently vowing to never go back.
They are said to have ‘fallen in love’ with the picturesque estate set in acres of rolling Cotswold countryside which also includes a helicopter pad and swimming pool.
And it appears they were so keen to make a quick getaway and land their dream property that they were prepared to pay £2.5 million more than the asking price.
Originally built as a farmhouse, it was converted into a modern luxury home more than 15 years ago but still retains its old-world charm, with the outlying barns connected to the main building via glazed passageways.
In total there are six bedrooms, and four bathrooms and council records show the previous owner installed an eco-friendly heat pump to supply heating to the house and pool.
There is also a five bay garage and a separate one bedroom cottage.
Should Ellen and Portia wish for a workout, the house also has a gym and there are games rooms and separate offices.
A source in the Cotswolds said: ‘It really is a beautiful house.
‘It’s so quintessentially English which as Americans they have fallen in love with, although they can forget about any glamorous southern California nightlife and weather.
‘The area itself is very quiet, some might even say boring as there’s not much to do, especially in the colder months but there are lots of celebrities in the area.’
Before the floods came, Ellen and Portia were seen settling into their new surroundings by enjoying a night out at a watering hole of a different kind.
During a raucous night at Jeremy Clarkson’s Cotswolds pub The Farmer’s Dog, the pair were entertained by The Corrs.
Pop stars James Blunt, 50, and Natalie Imbruglia, 49, were also present as they enjoyed a few drinks with friends.
It’s thought Ellen and Portia have invested in a couple of 4×4 vehicles which may prove a lifeline in negotiating waterlogged roads.
Among the only vehicles on the roads in recent days have been tractors and trailers driven by local farmers collecting sheep from low-lying areas and taking them on to higher ground.
According to US magazine People, Ellen is a well-known collector of ‘multi-million dollar homes’ including a $32 million property in Montecito where Harry and Meghan live, which she sold earlier this year.
In 2023 she told one US outlet that she had bought and sold ‘over 50 houses’ including a house in Malibu that once belonged to Brad Pitt.