Ellen DeGeneres reveals she's considered leaving her talk show

What would we do without Ellen?

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Ellen DeGeneres has been a part of our television lives for decades, and that includes her long-running talk show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

But as DeGeneres, 60, told The New York Times in a story published Wednesday, she won't go on forever chatting up guests in the daytime. Though she recently extended her contract until the summer of 2020, she nearly gave it up.

Ellen DeGeneres in 2015. She says she's considered leaving her talk show behind, telling The New York Times she's changed her mind more than once.GC Images

In fact, she often goes back and forth about whether to continue with the show, which debuted in 2003 and has had 16 seasons and over 2,700 episodes.

What keeps her going? Her brother, Vance DeGeneres, as it turns out; in the words of The New York Times, he tells her that "in the age of Trump, the country needs her positive, unifying voice on television every day."

Sarah Paulson gets pranked on "Ellen" in 2017.Youtube

But DeGeneres' wife, actress Portia de Rossi, would be happier if she left.

"She gets mad when my brother tells me I can't stop," said DeGeneres.

"I just think she's such a brilliant actress and stand-up that it doesn't have to be this talk show for her creativity," said de Rossi. "There are other things she could tackle."

DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi at the U.K. premiere of "Finding Dory" in London in 2016.Dave J Hogan / Getty Images

DeGeneres does tackle other things: She's producing several upcoming films, including "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase" and "Jekyll," hosts game shows like "Ellen's Game of Games," and has an upcoming Netflix comedy special, "Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable." And, of course, she voiced Dory in 2016's "Finding Dory."

These days, DeGeneres is the 15th-highest-paid celebrity in the world, according to Forbes, earning $87.5 million from June 2017 to June 2018.

Which probably makes for a very busy schedule, and not as much time spent with loved ones.

"I don't see the end of her show as her career ending," said de Rossi.

But we would sure miss her!