LOS ANGELES: Ellen DeGeneres is putting the California Supreme Court ruling in favour of gay marriage into action — she and Portia de Rossi plan to wed, DeGeneres announced during a taping of her talk show.

DeGeneres was taping the episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show on May15, the day the state’s high court struck down California laws against gay marriage, and it was to air on May 16, a person close to the production said.

The person, who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Citing the court’s ruling, DeGeneres said she and girlfriend de Rossi (Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck) would be getting married.

De Rossi, 35, who was in the studio, and DeGeneres, 50, were applauded by audience members, the person close to the production said. Calls and e-mails late Thursday to DeGeneres’ publicist were not immediately returned.

In 1997, DeGeneres brought her character on the ABC sitcom Ellen out of the closet, making the show the first on prime-time network TV to have an openly gay lead. The move drew cheers from gay civil rights organisations but was condemned by some religious groups.

DeGeneres and de Rossi have been a familiar co-uple at Holl-ywood ev-ents.