Comedian and TV host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, actor Portia de Rossi, are reportedly reconsidering their much-publicised move to the UK, with sources suggesting the British weather and homesickness may drive them back to the United States.
The Cotswolds Dream Meets Winter Reality
The celebrity couple relocated to the UK last year, just prior to Donald Trump's election victory. They swiftly declared their intention to remain on this side of the Atlantic, purchasing a luxury property in the Cotswolds. During a British summer appearance, DeGeneres endeared herself to locals by proclaiming, "Everything here is just better."
However, according to a report in the Mail on Sunday, the onset of the UK's winter gloom has prompted a change of heart. The pair are said to miss their friends and are apprehensive about enduring another season of cold, damp weather. This potential "reverse ferret" highlights a recurring pattern among wealthy Americans who vow to leave the US for political reasons, only to be swayed by personal comfort.
A History of Hollow Threats?
DeGeneres and de Rossi are far from alone in making such declarations. Since Donald Trump first entered the political arena, numerous Hollywood figures have threatened to emigrate. Yet, very few have made the move permanent.
In 2016, comedian Amy Schumer stated she would "move to Spain or somewhere" if Trump won. She later claimed the remark was made in jest. Similarly, singer Miley Cyrus announced she would leave the country under a Trump presidency, asserting she doesn't say things she doesn't mean, only to later clarify that she sometimes does.
Veteran performer Barbra Streisand has also repeatedly threatened to depart around both the 2016 and 2024 elections but shows no signs of having packed her bags.
The Few Who Actually Followed Through
There are, however, notable exceptions. Courtney Love has lived in London since around 2019 and revealed in March she is planning to obtain British citizenship, citing the "frightening" political situation in the US.
Comedian Rosie O'Donnell has taken more decisive action, relocating her family to Ireland. Her primary motivation was concern for the safety and rights of her non-binary child, Clay. In a TikTok video, she stated the family would only consider returning to America "when you know it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there." O'Donnell's long-running feud with Donald Trump, who earlier this year suggested stripping her of citizenship, adds a layer of genuine personal safety concern to her decision.
Beyond celebrity circles, a significant brain drain appears to be underway. A poll in the journal Nature found 75% of US researchers are considering leaving. Furthermore, three Yale professors specialising in authoritarianism publicly announced their move to Canada in a New York Times video op-ed titled "We Study Fascism, and We're Leaving the US."
While the UK's weather may seem a trivial concern compared to escalating political tensions, for some high-profile transplants, the chill of a Cotswolds winter appears a more immediate threat than the climate back home.
