Ellen DeGeneres kicked off the 18th season of her daytime talk show on Monday with a lengthy apology that addressed the reports she described as a manager who led to a poor workplace.

“If you’ve been watching me because you love me, thank you,” said Mrs. DeGeneres on her return from a summer stop. “And if you’re watching because you don’t like me, welcome.”

Wearing a white jacket, jeans and signature sneakers, the hostess addressed the rows of seats littered with screens that projected a virtual audience. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, members of the public are not permitted into the Burbank, California studio.

“You may have heard this summer, there were allegations of a toxic work environment in our showroom,” Ms. DeGeneres said. “And then there was an investigation. I learned that things are happening here that should not have happened. I take that very seriously. And I want to say, I am very sorry for the people who have been affected. I know that I am in a position of privilege and strength. And I realize that with that comes responsibility, I take responsibility for what happens in my show. “

In July, BuzzFeed News This has been reported Former employees of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” said they suffered from “racism, fear and intimidation” on the show and were fired after taking medical leave or bereavement. A former black employee said she was the victim of racist comments from employees.

Warner Bros. , The studio that distributes the joint program, and its subsidiary, Telepictures, in an internal investigation. In August, three high-profile producers were abandoned: Ed Glavin, executive producer; Jonathan Norman, Co-Executive Producer; Kevin Lyman, lead writer.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which started in 2003, has been a boon to Warner Bros. , Which is part of AT&T’s WarnerMedia division. Last year, Mrs. DeGeneres signed a contract to keep her on the show until 2022. She also signed a deal to host new shows for HBO Max, the streaming service from WarnerMedia. Additionally, Mrs. DeGeneres is the host of the Warner Bros. Games Show. , “Ellen’s Game of Games,” NBC prime-time mainstay.

During the monologue, which was posted on her show’s social media accounts, Ms. DeGeneres, 62, noted, “Articles in the press and on social media say I’m not the one who looks on TV.”

And she continued, “The truth is that I’m the person you see on TV.” “I also do a lot of other things. Sometimes I get sad, get angry, feel anxious, feel frustrated, get impatient. And I work on it all. I am progressing at work.”

The apology came live after two apologies – one via email, the other during a video conference – that she delivered to her employees over the summer.

In her Monday remarks, Mrs. DeGeneres, one of the first TV stars to declare that she is gay, noted how she spent years of her career as an actress, often playing straight women.

She said, “So, I’m a very good actress, but I don’t think I’m so good that I can come here every day for 17 years and cheat on you.” “That’s me. I intend to always be the best person I can be. And if I let someone down, if I hurt their feelings, then I’m sorry about that.”

Ms. DeGeneres introduced Stephen Laurel Boss, DJ known as tWitch, and indicated that he was now an executive producer on the show. After a short chat with him, she told the members of her virtual audience that she was giving them all a 65-inch TV. Then she made her first guest star in her new season, actress Tiffany Haddish.