Ellen DeGeneres' £12 Million Dream Ruined: Host Reconsiders UK Move After Feuds, Floods And Gloomier Outlook

It was meant to be the ultimate escape — a pastoral fantasy in the heart of England's most desirable countryside. But for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, the dream of a quiet life in the Cotswolds reportedly shattered almost as soon as the moving vans arrived. Instead of cosy nights by the fire and long walks through lush greenery, the Hollywood power couple faced a chaotic mix of biblical floods, toxic water, and a neighbourhood reception seemingly as frosty as the British winter.

Upon purchasing the historic Kitesbridge Farm for a reported £12 million, DeGeneres was told the 'tired' and 'basic' property needed a full 18 months of work to meet her exacting standards. However, patience was apparently not part of the plan.

The 67-year-old former talk show host and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, reportedly pushed to accelerate the process, unwilling to wait for their new life to begin. An army of 70 builders and craftsmen descended on the site, working to fast-track the project and transform the farmhouse into a 'landmark country estate' in record time.

Ellen DeGeneres Faces Biblical Storms and Polluted Floods

The rush to complete the renovation proved futile against the unforgiving British elements. Mere days after the couple finally settled into their 43-acre estate outside Asthall, severe winter storms battered the region. The estate did not simply get wet; it was reportedly inundated with 'polluted floodwater', leaving their newly polished sanctuary besieged by muck. The grim reality of rural living hit hard. Unwilling to wade through the mess, the pair made a swift exit, retreating to a $30 million hilltop property nearby — a home that offered elevation and the sleek, modern comforts reminiscent of their California life, far from the rising waters.

It was not just the rain dampening their spirits. Sources indicate the famously grey skies contributed to a 'gloomier outlook' on the entire experiment. While their vast fortune could secure architectural brilliance and prime real estate, it could not buy the reliable California sunshine they had left behind. The weather, combined with the disastrous start at the farmhouse, seemingly cast a shadow over their transatlantic adventure that no amount of renovation could remedy.

Why Ellen DeGeneres May Abandon Her UK Countryside Dream

The Cotswolds is often dubbed the 'Hamptons of the UK', boasting high-profile residents such as David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, and Simon Cowell. Yet fitting into this exclusive enclave proved complicated for the American duo. Reports suggest their time there played out 'like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster', rife with disputes involving aristocratic neighbours and friction with fellow celebrities. Even reported advice from former Montecito neighbours Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seemingly failed to smooth their transition into this tight-knit circle.

Despite DeGeneres acknowledging she 'didn't know much about the Cotswolds' prior to the move — aside from a familiarity with Soho Farmhouse, the retreat favoured by A-listers — she had been determined to make it work. Seeking a fresh start following the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and de Rossi's retirement from acting, they tasked agents with finding a 'typical Cotswolds stone rural property' with a budget of 'anything up to $35 million'.

The fervour with which they pursued the property makes the outcome all the more stinging. One agent recalled their aggressive acquisition strategy, noting that when another party showed interest, DeGeneres said they would pay 'whatever it took, as it were, within reason' to secure the purchase, ultimately striking a deal 'in excess of the guide price'.

Now that investment hangs in the balance. The couple spent just one Christmas in the UK before flying back to the United States for the holidays, sparking speculation that they may delay — or even reconsider — a permanent return. After a year defined by floods, feuds, and near-total misery, the price of admission to English country society might have been higher than they ever anticipated.