Drew Barrymore announces she's postponing talk show until strike ends following backlash
Drew Barrymore announces she's postponing talk show until strike ends following backlash.
The Hollywood A-lister took to Instagram today (17 September) to share the news and explain exactly why she's decided to press 'pause' on The Drew Barrymore Show.
"I have listened to everyone and I am making the decision to pause the show's premiere until the strike is over," Barrymore wrote."
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She continued: "I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and has made it what it is today."
"We really tried to find our way forward," she added. "And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon."
CBS Media Ventures has since released their own statement supporting Barrymore's decision to postpone.
A spokesperson said: "We support Drew’s decision to pause the show’s return and understand how complex and difficult this process has been for her."
The decision was made after the Charlie's Angels star received some pushback from her decision to resume production on her talk show amidst the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
The strikes first kicked off earlier this year in May led by The Writers Guild of America (WGA), and in July, the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) joined too.
Since then, much of Hollywood's television and film industry has ground to a halt, with productions paused in line with strike rules.
However, amid the ongoing strikes, Barrymore previously revealed her chat show would be returning later this month.
Barrymore previously defended her decision to 'come back for the first time in this strike', and explained she originally 'made a choice to walk away from the MTV film and television awards because [she] was the host and it had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with which was studios, streamers, film, and television'.
"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 added.
Barrymore, who was all set to be the host at the National Book Foundation annual event, was then dropped from the role following her decision to restart her show amidst the strikes.
In a post on social media, the organization said: "The National Book Awards is an evening dedicated to celebrating the power of literature, and the incomparable contributions of writers to our culture.
"In light of the announcement that The Drew Barrymore Show will resume production, the National Book Foundation has rescinded Ms. Barrymore's invitation to host the 74th National Book Awards Ceremony.
"Our commitment is to ensure that the focus of the Awards remains on celebrating writers and books, and we are grateful to Ms. Barrymore and her team for their understanding in this situation."
Topics: Celebrity, Drew Barrymore, Film and TV, SAG-AFTRA Writers Strike
Rhiannon Ingle