(Photo: CBS)
Three daytime talk shows aren’t returning today after all. The Drew Barrymore Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and The Talk were all supposed to kick off their new seasons today, but those plans have been cancelled following backlash from WGA supporters.
Barrymore received harsh criticism after she returned to the studio to film episodes of her series without her writers. She later apologized and announced production had been shutdown in a statement on Instagram:
“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over. 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. And I truly hope for a resolution for the entire industry very soon.”
Per Deadline, CBS Media Ventures, who is behind the daytime show, 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 Talk and The Jennifer Hudson Show were set to return today, but their premieres have also been delayed. CBS said the following about the decision to delay The Talk, per Deadline:
“The Talk is pausing its season premiere scheduled for September 18,” CBS said in a statement. “We will continue to evaluate plans for a new launch date.”
Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell, and Sheryl Underwood host The Talk, which shut down in May when the WGA strike began. WGA supporters have been picketing outside CBS Radford (where the series is produced) since it was announced production would be restarting.
Hudson’s show has quietly joined the other two shows in its shutdown. The series is produced in Burbank at Warner Bros. Studios which has been the site of picketing since the strike began.
New return dates for the three daytime shows will be announced later.
What do you think? Were you looking forward to seeing the return of these shows?
To use an American phrase ‘run them out of town’ (Bill Maher too).
Any excuse or dodging of the patently obvious issue is pathetic and poor PR.
It is not as if any of these super rich people can’t easily afford to wait things out, whilst people who will struggle keep fighting for reasonable pay and conditions.
With some luck, when things do return to normal, all of these people will be shunned by viewers and go off into the proverbial night where they rightfully belong.