The Ellen DeGeneres Show is bringing back its live studio audience for the first time since the pandemic began.
The daytime host is welcoming a limited amount of people for her tapings, starting with her Wednesday, Oct. 28, episode of the show.
The talk show, which has a backlog of 4,000 previously scheduled fans, will select 40 lucky in-studio audience members out of the pool, who will have to follow strict health and safety protocols. The show will also continue with its 70 virtual audience members.
The live studio audience will join just in time for the holidays. DeGeneres will continue with her 12 Days of Giveaways, beginning Monday, Nov. 23, in which the host gives some of her in-studio audience and at-home fans some of her favorite gifts.
Upcoming guests on the show include Melissa McCarthy, Khloé Kardashian, Jimmy Kimmel, Magic Johnson, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Usher and Vince Vaughn.
The Ellen Show isn’t the first live series to bring back its studio audience. Saturday Night Live returned with a live audience in early October. The NBC staple is even having to pay those audience members to fulfill New York City’s COVID-19 guidelines.
