Drew Barrymore to postpone show until after Hollywood strikes: NPR

Drew Barrymore attends the Time100 Gala, celebrating the world’s 100 most influential people, at Frederick P. Rose Hall in April in New York.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Drew Barrymore attends the Time100 Gala, celebrating the world’s 100 most influential people, at Frederick P. Rose Hall in April in New York.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

NEW YORK — Drew Barrymore, who was criticized for taping new episodes of her daytime talk show despite ongoing strikes by writers and actors, now says she will wait until the labor issues are resolved. Hours later, CBS’ “The Talk” did the same.

“I have listened to everyone and am making the decision to suspend the series premiere until the strike is over,” Barrymore posted on Instagram on Sunday. “I have no words to express my sincerest apologies to everyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who work on the show and who have made it what it is today. “

Barrymore’s initial decision to return to the air Monday — without his three union writers and with protesters outside his studio — was met with reluctance on social media. His show resumed taping in New York last week and was picketed by striking writers.

“We support Drew’s decision to pause the series’ return and understand how complex and difficult this process has been for her,” a spokesperson for CBS Media Ventures said.

Other daytime shows have resumed. “The View” is back for its 27th season on ABC, while “Tamron Hall” and “Live With Kelly and Ryan” — neither are governed by Writers Guild rules — have also produced new episodes. “The Jennifer Hudson Show” is set to resume Monday.

But “The Talk” canceled its reboot, scheduled for Monday. “We will continue to evaluate plans for a new launch date,” CBC said in a statement on Sunday.

Ariel Dumas, head writer and supervising producer of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” reacted on X, formerly Twitter: “This is really awesome,” she wrote, saying that “The Drew Barrymore Show” “decided to do the right thing. I hope @TheView and others follow suit.”

As long as hosts and guests aren’t discussing or promoting works covered by television, film, or streaming contracts, they aren’t technically striking. That’s because talk shows are covered by a separate contract — the so-called Network Code — from the one that actors and writers enter into. The Network Code also covers reality television, sports, morning news, soap operas and game shows.

Barrymore’s stance prompted the National Book Awards to no longer invite him as host in November. The organization rescinded its invitation “in light of the announcement that ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ would resume production.”

The ongoing strike pits the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.