Drew Barrymore Postpones ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ Due to Ongoing Strike

Drew Barrymore won’t bring back ‘The Drew Barrymore Show‘ until the strike ends. This follows criticism she received last week for saying it would premiere on Sept. 18 without writers, in line with WGA guidelines.

In a statement on Instagram, Barrymore said, “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.”

On September 15, Drew Barrymore released an apology video about resuming production on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ whilst her writers are fighting for fair pay.

Drew Barrymore wouldn’t have violated SAG-AFTRA rules as long as discussions or promotions of struck work didn’t happen on her show. However, her show relies on union writers, so creating new episodes during the strike would mean hiring non-WGA members or not having scripted content.

The WGA criticized Barrymore’s decision, stating, “Drew Barrymore should not be on the air while her writers are on strike fighting for a fair deal. In reality, shows like this cannot operate without writing, and that is struck work.”