Ellen DeGeneres suffering 'excruciating back pain' as she battles COVID-19

Ellen DeGeneres has told her fans that she is suffering "excruciating back pain" as her battle with coronavirus continues.

The 62-year-old talk show host has spoken out in a video on social media, in which she detailed one of the effects of Covid-19, after The Ellen DeGeneres Show was forced off air due to her illness.

In her latest update, Ellen has insisted that the she is feeling "100 percent" but she has learned that one of the symptoms of coronavirus is "excruciating back pain" which has been difficult for her to overcome.

Ellen said in the video: "Hi everybody, just saying thank you to all the well wishes out there. I appreciate it very much.

"I am feeling 100 percent. I feel really good."

Ellen continued: "One thing they don't tell you is you get, somehow, excruciating back pain. I didn't know that was a symptom.

"Who knew? How come? Back pain. Bad."

The comedienne had first revealed that she had "tested positive for Covid-19" on Thursday, in a statement that she posted on social media.

The message that she shared on Twitter read: "Fortunately, I'm feeling fine right now. Anyone who has been in close contact with me has been notified, and I am following all proper CDC guidelines."

Season 18 of The Ellen DeGeneres Show has been filmed without an audience since it returned in September, with the guests mainly appearing virtually.

A spokesperson for production company Telepictures revealed that the show had now stopped filming after Ellen's diagnosis.

They said: "Following Ellen's announcement this morning, we have paused production on the Ellen DeGeneres Show until January."

The latest development to hit the show follows a summer in which Ellen was faced with former employees speaking out about the "toxic" environment on the show, leading to an investigation by Warner Bros and Ellen addressing the situation during her first show back after the allegations.