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'Ellen' executive producer breaks silence on show controversy: 'It's been rough'

Andy Lassner weighed in about the controversy surrounding the show's workplace culture, saying it's been "a rough couple of months."
Image: Ellen DeGeneres
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres during a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California.Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.
/ Source: TODAY

An executive producer of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" is sharing his thoughts after "a couple of rough months" that included three senior producers parting ways from the talk show after accusations that it's a toxic workplace.

Andy Lassner, 53, spoke out in an Instagram video on Sunday, adding "I’ve missed my people" in the caption.

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"I'm back. I've been away for a little bit dealing with, you know, some stuff," he said. "You may have read about it. It's been a couple of rough months, but it's when we go through these things, I guess, that we learn the most about ourselves and maybe even some growth.

"But to tell you it hasn't been rough would be a lie, and I've always been honest with you, so it's been rough."

Lassner also referenced returning to his "Slow Walking with Average Andy" videos, which have become a regular part of the daytime talk show, which began production on its 18th season earlier this month.

"But I'm back, I have been walking," he said. "I will now be walking for you guys again because. I mean, let's face it, what is life like when you're not slow walking with Andy? Anyway, I love you guys, and I miss you, and I'll talk to you soon."

In late July, Lassner also addressed a commenter who speculated about the show being canceled. "Nobody is going off the air," he replied on Twitter.

Earlier this month, it was announced that executive producers Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman and Jonathan Norman had “parted ways” with the show. The shake-up followed an internal investigation into the show's workplace culture, which came after BuzzFeed published a report in which current and former staffers claimed they endured a toxic workplace while working for the show.

DeGeneres — who was not the focus of the internal investigation — also addressed the allegations in a letter sent to staff in late July.

"On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' would be a place of happiness — no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect. Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case," she wrote. "And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show."

Reps for DeGeneres and the show did not immediately respond to TODAY's request for comment.