Following Drew Barrymore’s decision to pause her show’s return after immense backlash, other talk shows are following suit.
CBS’ “The Talk” and the syndicated series “The Jennifer Hudson Show” were both set to return Monday but put those plans on hold.
A statement from CBS provided to Fox News Digital read, “‘The Talk’ is pausing its season premiere scheduled for September 18. We will continue to evaluate plans for a new launch date.”
Deadline reported “The Jennifer Hudson Show” had similar discussions, including urging from host Jennifer Hudson, to put the premiere on hold.
DREW BARRYMORE’S EMOTIONAL REACTION TO BACKLASH OVER RESUMING SHOW AMID STRIKE
After Drew Barrymore, left, announced she was putting her talk show back on hold amid the WGA strike, both “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and “The Talk,” which features a panel including Jerry O’Connell, announced they were delaying their premieres as well. (Getty Images)
Representatives for “The Jennifer Hudson Show” did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
All three shows use WGA writers in their productions but had been planning on returning without them for their fall seasons despite the ongoing strike.
Other shows, such as “Live with Kelly and Mark,” “The Tamron Hall Show” and “The Sherri Shepherd Show,” are returning or currently airing but are able to do so because they do not use union writers on their staffs. The writers strike has been ongoing since May 2, and the actors union, SAG-AFTRA, joined them in July.
“Live with Kelly and Mark” is one of the daytime talk shows able to return to air, as it does not employ WGA writers. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Sherri Shepherd addressed her show’s return Monday, clarifying the distinction on why some shows are cleared to air and others aren’t.
“But here’s the thing: Talk shows in general fall under a different union contract code, so we are allowed to come back — unless you are a WGA show. Now, ‘The Sherri Shepherd Show’ is not a WGA show,” she explained.
“We have never employed WGA writers. So us coming back to work is not crossing the picket line,” Shepherd continued. “And as a comic, my comedic take on the headlines is my voice. I write my jokes. I’m the writer. And I’m not in the WGA. I have the producers, who help me shape my words, which is why we don’t have WGA writers over here at ‘Sherri.’”
Sherri Shepherd explained on the season premiere episode of her talk show that the production does not use WGA writers, so it is not breaking the strike rules. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Variety via Getty Images)
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She added, “My heart is breaking for all of the people that cannot work right now, and I hope that our industry can get this strike resolved soon. I stand in solidarity with my union.”
The whirlwind of delayed premieres comes after a week of negative responses to Barrymore’s initial announcement that her talk show would return without its union writing staff.
After posting a video on social media where she explained and defended her decision, the “E.T.” star announced Sunday she was putting the show’s return on hold.
Drew Barrymore faced intense backlash over her decision to resume production of her talk show amid the WGA strike. (The Drew Barrymore Show/YouTube)
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“I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” she wrote in a statement on Instagram.
“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,” Barrymore concluded.
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“We support Drew’s decision to pause the show’s return and understand how complex and difficult this process has been for her,” a CBS Media Ventures spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital’s Caroline Thayer contributed to this report.
