Matthew Wright’s Cause of Death Listed as Cardiopulmonary Arrest

Matthew Wright, who spent 16 years producing The Ellen DeGeneres Show, died on October 30 at age 52. His death certificate identifies cardiopulmonary arrest as the cause, with hypertension listed as an underlying condition. Obstructive sleep apnea and Class II obesity were also cited as contributing factors.

Wright’s family said he died unexpectedly while asleep as he worked remotely in Los Angeles. A fundraiser was created to help his husband, Justin, and other relatives cover funeral and memorial expenses. The family had also faced the loss of their jobs that summer, the fundraiser said. It reached and exceeded its $50,000 target after nearly 400 donations. Ellen DeGeneres contributed $5,000, prompting online discussion about the size of her donation.

DeGeneres remembered Wright as funny, thoughtful and deeply valued by the show’s staff, saying his death had left her shocked. Wright joined the program in 2006 and remained until it ended in 2022. He appeared in recurring comedy segments, including “Strong Opinions with Matt,” and also produced episodes of DeGeneres’ Ellen’s Game of Games in 2017 and 2018, as well as her 2009 special Ellen’s Bigger, Longer & Uncut. His earlier television work included the SoapNet series Soap Talk, where he was a producer from 2002 to 2006.