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Drew Barrymore’s in hot water following drama surrounding the Writers Guild of America strike. When writers began striking, the Never Been Kissed actor announced her plan to continue The Drew Barrymore Show. And, of course, she paid the price. Barrymore issued an apology following the announcement. But it might be too little too late, as her show might now be in jeopardy.

Several writers for ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ have declined to return to the show following scab drama

During the WGA strike, Drew Barrymore hoped to resume filming The Drew Barrymore Show. Of course, writers, actors, and fans took issue.

“The Drew Barrymore Show is produced under the Network Television Code which is a separate contract and is not struck,” a SAG-AFTRA rep said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “It is permissible work, and Drew’s role as host does not violate the current strike rules.”

Ultimately, the show returned without its writers, conveying that the head writers are not as valued as they once thought.

Now, the show may have issues with its return. While the network set The Drew Barrymore Show for an Oct. 16, 2023, return, three show writers — Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon, and Liz Koe — declined to return after Barrymore initially made it clear she intended to continue without them.

White, Kinon, and Koe, who’ve been with the series since the first season, protested the return of the talk show during the WGA strike. Together, they picketed outside of the TV studio. To make matters worse, the three women discovered that The Drew Barrymore Show would return during the strike from audience ticket giveaways on social media. The showrunners didn’t give them a heads-up.

“I think, in general, this is obviously bigger than us three writers on The Drew Barrymore Show,” White told The Hollywood Reporter while picketing. “It is a bummer to hear that the show is going back because it sends a message that union writers are not valuable. And it goes directly against what the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, all the unions are trying to band together to stand up against the greedy studios.”

“I’m disappointed, but I understand that everybody has to do what they feel is best for them,” Kinon told the publication. “For me and the WGA writers on the show, it’s important for us to stick with our union. We deserve a fair contract, so we are here today outside.” 

With White, Kinon, and Koe not returning as writers, show producers are now taking interviews for potential new show writers.

'The Drew Barrymore Show' star Drew Barrymore in a crowd of masked people with her hand up
Drew Barrymore | Todd Owyoung/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
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The series was the fastest-growing talk show on television as of June 2023

Just a month before the WGA strike, The Drew Barrymore Show was raking in viewers. As of June 2023, the show reported 6.9 billion minutes viewed season-to-date across platforms for the 2022-2023 TV season. Year-over-year, this gave the talk show a 65% increase in total viewers, making it the fastest-growing talk show on TV.

It’s unclear how Drew Barrymore’s decisions during the WGA strike will impact future viewers. At first, she admitted that she “owned” the choice to bring the show back while writers were striking. But she later apologized.

“I own this choice,” Barrymore said when first faced with backlash. “We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real-time.”

As for the apology, Barrymore posted a video and later deleted it. “I believe there’s nothing I can do or say in this moment to make it OK,” she said in the now-deleted video. “I wanted to own a decision so that it wasn’t a PR-protected situation. And I just want everyone to know my intentions have never been in a place to upset or hurt anyone. It’s not who I am.”

Elements of this story were originally reported by The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.

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