Ellen DeGeneres loves Portia de Rossi so much it 'kills' her

Ellen DeGeneres, left, and Portia de Rossi arrive at the season 4 premiere of 'Arrested Development' at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Monday, April 29, 2013 in Los Angeles. (AP / Invision / John Shearer)

Ellen DeGeneres loves Portia de Rossi so much it "kills" her.

The talk show host and her actress wife - who she married in 2008 - feel lucky to have one another and Ellen says her feelings for her partner grow stronger every day.

Speaking in the new edition of People magazine, she said: "I love her so much it kills me.

"The tabloids had a photo of Portia not wearing her wedding ring. She goes, 'I didn't wear it because when I ride horses and I'm holding the reins, it gives me a blister!'

"The truth is, and this is corny, I fall more in love with Portia all the time. I really do. She surprises me all the time.

"It's what anyone experiences when you find that person that gets you, wants to take care of you, wants the best for you. We're really lucky because we know how rare it is."

Ellen came out as gay 17 years ago and still can't believe the reaction her revelation sparked at the time.

She said: "I thought everyone knew me and I didn't think that one little adjective was going to define me. I didn't have perspective for a while.

"Now I look at it as a movie that I saw that someone went through and I only experience the amazing life that I have right now."

The 56-year-old star is "comfortable" with her life and career now so is pleased to be hosting the 86th Annual Academy Awards on March 2.

She said: "I'm comfortable right now and it's never good to be comfortable as a performer. Hosting the Oscars is pretty much the scariest thing you can do. To me, this is right up there with bungee jumping!"