Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, former DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show and SYTYCD star, dead at 40

Ellen DeGeneres has paid tribute to her DJ 'tWitch as her 'family' after he died aged 40 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

DJ 'tWitch' - famed for appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres show - has died aged 40 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Stephen Boss worked on Ellen's show from 2014 until it ended in 2022 and was made an executive producer in 2020.

Paying tribute to the dancer, Ellen said: '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.'

Boss, 40, left home without his car, which caused his wife, Allison Holker, to report the incident to the police in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Police then received a call around 11.15am to say that Boss had been found dead in an LA hotel room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Former co-workers on the Ellen show have been left 'shocked' by his sudden passing - explaining that he was 'a massive part of the team' and 'part of the family'.

 One told the US Sun: 'No one can ever understand why someone would do this, but this is entirely' out of character for him. 

'I'm at a loss for words.  We are all trying to process what has happened.'

The couple celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary just three days before the tragedy, with Allison posting a heartfelt post online.

They shared three children together and got married in 2013, hosting 'Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings' together on Disney +. 

His death comes months after Ellen paid tribute to her ex-partner Anne Heche who died after crashing her car into a LA home with cocaine in her system - becoming trapped in the fiery blaze for 45 minutes before passing away in hospital. 

Boss is survived by his wife, also a professional dancer, and their three children, Weslie, 14, Maddox, 6, and Zaia, 3. 

An LAPD spokesman confirmed to DailyMail.com that the incident was being handled by the LA County Coroner's office as there were no signs of 'foul play'. 

Paying tribute to her husband, Allison said in a statement to People: 'It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us.

'Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him.

'He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.

'To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt.

 'I am certain there won't be a day that goes by that we won't honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children.'

'Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.'

Seen for the last time in September publicly, Boss admitted to missing the Ellen show - which he said 'made it's mark on history' 

He added:   'Life has been great man. We’ve been having, honestly, a lot more time at home, kids are back at school, life is beautiful man.

 'There will be nothing like that show ever again’ It definitley made its mark on history and it was one of the greatest places to be in the afternoon.'

The couple also posted a video on their YouTube channel, appearing happy, for a beginners dance cardio workout two days before his death.  

Boss started as a DJ on the show after breaking into showbiz on MTV's The Wade Robson Project before becoming a runner-up on Star Search.

He later competed on dance show 'So You Think You Can Dance' in 2008 where he came runner-up, later returning as an All-Star and returned as a judge in 2022. 

The keen dancer posted a video of himself and his wife dancing in front of their Christmas tree just two days prior to his death. 

Ex-executive producer of the Ellen shows Andy Lassner paid tribute to Boss, saying 'Rest, my friend' along with a picture of the two of them and DeGeneres. 

The Ellen show was canceled earlier this year amid claims of bullying and a 'toxic workplace' with the final episode airing on May 26.

Boss spoke about the criticism of the work culture at the Ellen Show, defending her until the very end of the show.

He told US Weekly: 'We can't speak too much legally about it, but I'll say this, there's been love.

'Obviously there's some things to address, but from my standpoint and from countless others, there's been love.

'I'll just leave it at that until there's a time where we can address more publicly. There's been love and there will continue to be love.'

In 2020, at least ten former and then-current employees of the Ellen Show claimed they had faced bullying and racism behind the scenes at the long-running talk show.

The show, which ran from 2003 to 2022, built a brand around the compassionate slogan 'Be Kind,' often touted by the show's namesake.

Staffers who had first-hand knowledge of the day-to-day goings on of production, however, said the charitable endeavors and sloganeering were 'all for show.'

Employees leveled much of the blame against the show's executive producers, but claimed Ellen herself had not been involved enough to see what was happening on her own show.

Months after the first claims surfaced, DeGeneres gave an interview, in which she said the attacks on her 'did feel very misogynistic.'

'It was devastating. I am a kind person. I am a person who likes to make people happy,' she said, adding that she understood how people - even fans of hers - might come to believe that the allegations about her personal behavior were true.