Ellen DeGeneres' first-ever Ellen guest will be back to kick off the final season

Ellen DeGeneres is getting a little help from her friends — and in particular one of the stars of Friends — for the 19th and final season of her eponymous daytime talk show.

Jennifer Aniston, who took a seat as the first-ever guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show back in 2003, will be returning to help kick off the farewell season, which begins Sept. 13. The appearance will mark her 23rd visit to the show.

Also dropping by during premiere week will be late-night host Jimmy Kimmel (clocking his 20th visit), reality TV personality Kim Kardashian West (giving her first interview since the end of Keeping Up with the Kardashians), comedian Tiffany Haddish (who previously filled in as a guest host for DeGeneres), and rockers Imagine Dragons (who do that song in the Samsung commercial).

Other guests lined up for season 19 include Melissa McCarthy, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Julianne Moore, and Melissa Etheridge.

In addition, the final season will see the return of a live studio audience after going virtual during the pandemic. Audience members will be fully vaccinated.

DeGeneres announced in May that the 19th season of her show would be the last, saying, "My instinct told me it's time." The announcement also came in the wake of allegations of a toxic work environment at the show, and a subsequent investigation. DeGeneres apologized, saying, "I take responsibility for what happens at my show."

DeGeneres other projects in the works include four series for HBO Max.

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