The 67-year-old comedian quit her long-running daytime show in 2022 after staffers blasted her as a behind-the-scenes meanie. After denying any wrongdoing, the host fled to England in November 2024 along with wife, Portia de Rossi, 52. "They've been making a big show of how much they love life in the Cotswolds, but it's an open secret that Ellen is champing at the bit to get her career back on track," said the source. "She's been hitting up her contacts and feeling quietly confident, especially with all the talk about Kelly Clarkson stepping down from her daytime show to focus on her music career."