Guess what? The Drew Barrymore Show is coming back for a brand new season! But wait, there’s a twist. The head writers of the show have decided not to return, leaving the production team scrambling to fill their positions.
Last month, Drew Barrymore faced some backlash after she announced that The Drew Barrymore Show would be returning despite the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. People were not happy about it. However, Barrymore quickly realized the mistake and reversed the decision the following week. Now that the WGA strike is over, the show is all set to come back for another season.
However, there’s a bit of a snag. According to THR, the head writers of the show, Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon, and Liz Koe, have declined to return. Ouch.
Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon, and Liz Koe have been with The Drew Barrymore Show since the first season, so it’s clear that they weren’t happy with Barrymore’s initial decision. Although they received offers to come back for the new season once the strike was over, they turned them down. Now the show is in the process of interviewing new writers to fill their shoes.
While picketing outside the studio last month, Chelsea White expressed her disappointment in the show coming back. She revealed that they didn’t even hear about the show’s return from Drew or the producers, but rather from social media. White told THR, “It is a bummer to hear that the show is going back because it sends a message that union writers are not valuable.” When asked if they would return to the show after the strike, White simply said, “Maybe no comment.”
Interestingly, Drew Barrymore’s decision to bring back the show didn’t technically violate any WGA or SAG-AFTRA rules. As a SAG-AFTRA representative pointed out, “The Drew Barrymore Show is produced under the Network Television Code which is a separate contract and is not struck. It is permissible work and Drew’s role as host does not violate the current strike rules.” However, her choice didn’t sit well with the striking writers.
In light of the controversy, Drew Barrymore issued a statement last month, saying, “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.”
