While Hollywood Writers’ Strike Persists, Some Talk Shows Set to Resume Production

Hollywood, CA – Despite the ongoing Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, Drew Barrymore is making a return to her daytime talk show. The situation in the industry remains uncertain as the strikes show no immediate signs of resolution.

New York-based Drew Barrymore, who completed last season’s episodes on April 20, well before the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike began on May 2, is back this week with new episodes. This move comes even after she withdrew as the host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards in May. Now, it appears that the syndicated “Jennifer Hudson Show” and CBS’ “The Talk” may also resume production, with new episodes expected to air on September 18, according to insiders who preferred not to confirm the plans publicly. Notably, none of these shows will be utilizing WGA writers.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, Barrymore took ownership of her decision, acknowledging that the show is “bigger than just me” and emphasizing that her return would provide employment to a significant production staff. She seems prepared to improvise without the assistance of writers, although the WGA has announced plans to picket her studio on Manhattan’s West 57th Street.

However, not all talk shows are navigating the strike in the same way. While some have remained in production, others, both in daytime and late night, are expected to stay “dark” for the duration. Even “Jeopardy!,” which employs WGA writers, will resort to recycling old clues to stay on the air as its 40th season begins on Monday.

Status of Top Talk Shows:

For ‘The View,’ ‘Kelly and Mark,’ and ‘Tamron Hall,’ It’s Business as Usual ABC’s female-led panel talk show, along with Disney’s syndicated “Tamron,” is produced by ABC’s News division, which employs writers under a separate contract unaffected by the strike. These shows will continue to produce new episodes. Similarly, Disney-owned “Live with Kelly and Mark” has been on the air through much of the summer, relying on hosts’ unscripted interactions and avoiding the use of striking workers. “Sherri Shepherd” is also set to begin its second season next week without WGA workers.

‘Jennifer Hudson’ and ‘The Talk’ Set to Return CBS’ panel show “The Talk” and Warner Bros.’ syndicated show featuring singer and actress Jennifer Hudson are reportedly planning to resume production, following Barrymore’s lead. Both are expected to be back on the air next week.

‘Kelly Clarkson’ Remains Shuttered (for Now) There is no word on the status of NBC Universal’s “Kelly Clarkson,” whose return is complicated by a planned relocation from Los Angeles to New York amid allegations of a toxic workplace environment.

‘Rachael Ray’ and ‘Dr. Phil’ Canceled “Rachael Ray” and Phil McGraw’s long-running daytime talk shows were canceled in May due to challenging ratings and advertising conditions.

Late-Night Shows Still Shuttered NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” remains closed, having canceled three planned May shows as the strike began. Late-night talk shows, including ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” NBC’s “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” CBS’ “Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” are all currently off the air. While late-night hosts have resumed episodes without their writing staffs during previous strikes, there is no indication of a similar move this time. Instead, the major hosts have joined forces to launch a Spotify podcast, with proceeds benefiting their unemployed staff.

Strike Rules Limit Actor Promotion The strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (SAG-AFTRA) prohibits members from promoting TV shows and movies produced under contracts with major studios, TV networks, and streamers, on other TV shows or social media. This prohibition particularly affects late-night shows that rely on celebrity interviews for free promotion. Consequently, talk shows that continue production are adjusting their content to adhere to strike rules and avoid the promotion of other projects.

As the strike continues, the entertainment industry remains in a state of uncertainty, with some shows choosing to adapt and others temporarily going dark.