Allison Holker is shutting down rumors that her late husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, had a falling out with Ellen DeGeneres following the end of her talk show in May 2022.
“I don’t love when I see rumors flying around, and it was really disappointing for me to see that people tried bringing Ellen to the situation and targeting her,” Holker, 36, told People magazine in a recent interview.
“It was not true,” she continued. “Ellen’s wonderful, and she’s just been a support system. If anything, she was a great example to Stephen. They had a great relationship, and he loved that relationship with her. They had something that was so special. I hope people can see that that bond is something that we shouldn’t tear down.”
The “Ellen DeGeneres Show” DJ and later co-executive producer was found dead by a hotel maid at the Oak Tree Inn in Encino, California, on Dec. 14, 2022. An autopsy confirmed that Boss, 40, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” Holker told The Post in a statement at the time. “Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends, and community above all else, and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”
At the time of his death, DeGeneres, 67, said that she was heartbroken when she heard the news.
“tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children — Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.”
Boss started working for the daytime talk show host in 2014 as a DJ and was later promoted to executive producer in 2020. He stayed on with the show until the show ended in 2022.
During that time, many people called out DeGeneres, claiming that the behind-the-scenes environment was toxic. Boss was one of the few who defended her during the allegations.
“We can’t speak too much legally about it, but I’ll say this, there’s been love,” he told Us Weekly in 2020. “Obviously there’s some things to address, but from my standpoint and from countless others, there’s been love. I’ll just leave it at that until there’s a time where we can address more publicly. There’s been love, and there will continue to be love.”
Days after his death, DeGeneres took to social media to share her favorite moments with the late performer.
“Right now what I want to do is remember all the love and laughter I had with tWitch. He brought so much joy to my life. I know he brought joy to yours too,” DeGeneres tweeted.
One video that was shared was when she surprised Boss with a special tribute for the ending of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
Holker writes how she and her children are coping and healing after Boss’s death in her memoir, “This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light,” which is out now.
“It really hurts me that Stephen held everything in for as long as he did,” she told People in January. “He was always so strong for everyone.”
Holker revealed that she and her children began intense therapy in 2023 and admitted to learning that “it’s okay to not be okay.”
“When Stephen started being at his lowest, he would try to open up a little bit about things, [but] he was very careful about his wording. I wish he would’ve felt comfortable asking for help, wanted to go to therapy and talk to his friends or loved ones,” she told the outlet.
“I don’t want to fall into the same triggers Stephen did. For the last two years, I felt like I wanted to get my family through everything, and I realized I haven’t taken a moment to also heal myself,” Holker continued. “I’m trying to allow [help] now in my life. Let a therapist help me, let my daughter help me, let my friends help me. I’m struggling a little bit with it still, but I’m putting my best step forward.”
She said that the last two years have been blow after blow.
“I have been trying to release all this anger, and I’m learning there’s always going to be a moment when I get really sad, or really angry, or get really confused,” Holker said.
After her husband’s death, she started the Move With Kindness Foundation and teamed up with the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Holker has also received backlash from Boss’ family over some of her recent remarks, specifically disclosing that she allegedly discovered a “cornucopia” of drugs — including mushrooms, pills and “other substances I had to look up on my phone” — hidden in his closet. Some relatives also blasted her for allegedly making them sign NDAs before attending his funeral.
She responded by sharing some support that fans posted online.
“I’m seeing lots of comments of people being like ‘how dare she blast his secrets.’ And I STRONGLY disagree. @allisonholker is explaining to us why her husband committed suicide. He had trauma, addiction issues, and was holding it all in,” one person wrote, which she reshared. “That is so scary, and so dangerous. It is SO important to have these conversations.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.