The Drew Barrymore Show will be returning to TV screens sooner than expected.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Drew Barrymore announced that her daytime talk show will begin its fourth season soon, in accordance with the rules of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
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The actress began her post by referring to her decision to walk away from hosting the MTV Film and TV Awards in May, in solidarity with the writers who had just gone on strike.
“It had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with which was studios, streamers, film, and television,” she wrote in the post and caption. “It was also in the first week of the strike and so I did what I thought was the appropriate thing at the time to stand in solidarity with the writers.”
She pointed out that season three of her show had wrapped prior to the strike, so they never had to shut it down. But she is making another conscious choice now to return to work amid both the writers and actors strikes because the show is “bigger than just me.”
“I own this choice,” Barrymore continued. “We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time.”
The host explained her desire to return to the talk show stemmed from wanting to provide work for writers and entertainment for viewers at a difficult time.
“I want to be there to provide what writers do so well, which is a way to bring us together or help us make sense of the human experience,” she concluded. “I hope for a resolve for everyone as soon as possible. We have navigated difficult times since we first came on air. And so I take a step forward to start season 4 once again with an astute humility.”
A spokesperson for the Writers Guild told The Hollywood Reporter that The Drew Barrymore Show is a struck show, and union members are set to picket outside of Barrymore’s studios on Monday and Tuesday in New York City.
“It has stayed off the air since the strike began on May 2nd but has now (unfortunately) decided to return without its writers,” the spokesperson said in the statement. “The Guild has, and will continue to, picket any struck show that continues production for the duration of the strike.”
Per WGA strike rules, most daytime talk shows are allowed to continue to run because a lot of them do not employ writers who are a part of the union. Two exceptions include The Drew Barrymore Show and The Talk, which went dark at the start of the strike and continues to play reruns, as do the late-night talk shows.
While The Drew Barrymore Show will begin its new season, contrary to the WGA, actors who appear as guests will have to abide by SAG-AFTRA strike rules, which include not discussing or promoting any struck work.
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