Ellen DeGeneres is taking on a new fitness challenge at 68, and she is making it look like quite the workout. The former talk show host recently shared a video of herself attempting pull-ups, admitting that even with a little help, the exercise is no joke.DeGeneres posted the video on Instagram on 30 October 2026. Dressed for a workout, she can be seen pulling herself up using a thin resistance band for support, with The Killers’ ‘Mr. Brightside’ playing in the background.And she was quick to point out that the band does not make the exercise as easy as it might look.“Yes, I know I have a little bit of help with a band, but it’s literally like a rubber band you’d put a ponytail in,” she wrote in the caption. “It’s super thin. But trust me it’s hard.”The comedian also shared what she is working towards. Her goal is to complete one pull-up without any assistance from the band, then move on to two, three and eventually more.“But not bad for almost 69,” she added.
Ellen DeGeneres talks about missing television
The workout video comes shortly after Ellen DeGeneres spoke about missing her television career during her appearance on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ on 16 October 2026.While talking about life away from American television, the comedian admitted that she misses being on screen and, more importantly, the people she worked with.“I’ve nothing really going on and I really miss being on TV,” she said during the conversation. She went on to explain that she misses laughing with the writers and the audience, adding that she has thought about doing television work in the UK.DeGeneres even joked that getting on British television seems fairly easy. She pointed to programmes about pottery, sewing and people watching television, referring to popular British shows such as ‘The Great Pottery Throw Down’, ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ and ‘Gogglebox’.Her appearance offered a glimpse into how she has been adjusting to life outside the entertainment industry after stepping away from Hollywood.
Ellen DeGeneres moved to the UK with Portia de Rossi
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, moved to the UK in 2024, following the end of her long-running daytime show, ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’, in 2022. The programme ran for 19 seasons and made her one of the most recognisable faces on daytime television.Since moving, the couple have largely kept a quieter public profile. However, DeGeneres has occasionally shared glimpses of their life in the UK.For now, she seems to have found another challenge to keep herself busy. And while she has not quite managed that first unassisted pull-up yet, she is clearly working towards it. At almost 69, DeGeneres is taking it one pull-up at a time.
