Ellen Degeneres says she is “heartbroken” over the suicide of DJ ‘tWitch’ as she thinks of him as “family”.

The TV host, 64, paid tribute on Wednesday (14.12.22) hours after it emerged he had taken his life aged 40.

She tweeted about ‘tWitch’, born Stephen Laurel Boss, who worked on her talkshow from 2014 until it ended this year: “I’m heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart.

“I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children – Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.”

Ellen made the tribute alongside a picture of her hugging the DJ on her show.

Stephen’s wife Allison Holker alerted police on Tuesday (13.12.22) over her concerns Stephen had left home without his car.

Officers then got a call later at around 11.15am to say he had been found dead in a room at the Oak Tree Motel, 15 minutes’ walk from his family home.

It’s been reported he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Ellen’s co-workers are said to have been left “shocked” by Stephen’s death, with one telling The US Sun: “No one can ever understand why someone would do this... I’m at a loss for words. We are all trying to process what has happened.”

Ellen paid tribute to Stephen months after her former partner Anne Heche, 53, died after crashing her car into a home in Los Angeles.