Actress Halts ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ in Solidarity with Entertainment Industry Labor Strikes

Actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore has announced that her show, “The Drew Barrymore Show,” will not return as previously planned due to the ongoing strikes within the entertainment industry. Barrymore made this decision public via her Instagram account on Sunday, addressing the concerns and criticism that arose after her initial announcement to resume production.

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In her statement, Barrymore expressed her deep apologies to anyone she may have hurt by her earlier decision and acknowledged the incredible team behind her show. She emphasized her commitment to respecting the ongoing strike and stated, “We really tried to find our way forward. And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon.”

CBS Media Ventures, which distributes “The Drew Barrymore Show,” voiced support for Barrymore’s decision to pause the show’s return, recognizing the complexity and challenges she faced during this process.

This development follows Barrymore’s initial announcement to revive her show, which received criticism from fellow actors and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). The WGA, representing thousands of writers in various creative media, has been on strike since May, advocating for higher wages and clearer contract provisions concerning artificial intelligence.

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In addition to industry backlash, the National Book Foundation rescinded its invitation for Barrymore to host its annual book awards after her decision to continue the show.

While the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) indicated that the talk show’s return did not violate the ongoing strike, the entertainment industry has been grappling with dual strikes, with SAG-AFTRA also staging a strike in July.

As a result of these strikes, many TV shows, including popular talk shows like “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which rely heavily on teams of writers, have been on hiatus for an extended period.

Drew Barrymore’s decision to put her show “on pause” has garnered widespread support, including from the Writers Guild of America, East, who expressed their gratitude with a simple “Thank you, Drew” in response to her statement.

While “The Drew Barrymore Show” remains temporarily suspended, reruns of the show will air, providing viewers with past content during this hiatus. Episodes that were recorded when production resumed last week will not be broadcast at this time.