Portia de Rossi has come out in public support of her wife Ellen DeGeneres amid the continuing controversy over her talkshow.

The future of the series, which has been on the air for 17 years, is uncertain after WarnerMedia launched an internal investigation over working conditions on the show following a number of complaints.

Last week more serious allegations of sexual assault on the part of several executive producers were made by multiple former employees, increasing the pressure on DeGeneres as the head figure of the series.

The 62-year-old has remained largely silent as the crisis has unfolded over the last few months, although last week she sent a message to staff assuring them that she is working to "correct the issues".

Now her wife De Rossi has commented on the issue via Instagram, posting a picture of the words "I Stand By Ellen" alongside the message: "To all our fans... we see you. Thank you for your support."

The talkshow is currently off the air for its annual summer break and is tentatively due to return early next month.