Drew Barrymore is defending her decision to launch a latest season of her syndicated daytime show amid the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
The “Blended” actress, 48, took to Instagram Sunday to make it clear to viewers that she “owns this selection” to premiere Season 4 of “The Drew Barrymore Show” on Sept. 18.
She began the statement by explaining more about her decision to walk away as host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards in May, days after the WGA strike began, because it was in “direct conflict with what the strike was coping with which was studios, streamers, film, and tv.”
“I’m also making the selection to return back for the primary time on this strike for our show, which will have my name on it but this is larger than simply me,” she wrote. “I own this selection.”
Her message continued, “We’re in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and tv that’s struck of any kind. We launched live in a world pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the true world goes through in real time.”
She added: “I need to be there to supply what writers accomplish that well, which is a method to bring us together or help us make sense of the human experience. I hope for a resolve for everybody as soon as possible. Now we have navigated difficult times since we first got here on air. And so I take a step forward to begin season 4 once more with an astute humility.”
Barrymore’s reps told The Post on Sunday that she has no further comment.
The show is produced and distributed by CBS Media Ventures and shot on the CBS Broadcast Center in Midtown.
A CBS Media Ventures spokesperson told The Post that, “The Drew Barrymore Show is not going to be performing any writing work covered by the WGA strike.”
“I’m so excited to see what Drew has in store for season 4,” Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, said in an announcement shared with The Post.
“From launching throughout the height of the Covid-19 pandemic to successfully pivoting to a groundbreaking half-hour format, this show has demonstrated spectacular resilience and artistic agility on its journey to becoming the fastest-growing show in daytime. We couldn’t have a greater partner in Drew Barrymore and stay up for bringing our fans and station clients alike latest episodes this fall,” she added.
When reached by The Post, the WGA shared an announcement shared on its social media.
“The @DrewBarrymoreTV Show is a WGA covered, struck show that’s planning to return without its writers,” the Writers Guild of America, East tweeted Sunday.
“The Guild has, and can proceed to, picket struck shows which can be in production throughout the strike. Any writing on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ is in violation of WGA strike rules.”
The WGA East is planning to picket outside the CBS Broadcast Center Monday and Tuesday.
In her statement, Barrymore noted her show wrapped for the summer on April 20, before the strikes began.
Since May 2, Hollywood writers have been striking for higher wages, regulation surrounding artificial intelligence, and higher pay from streaming services. The SAG-AFTRA strike began in July.
The guest lineup for Barrymore’s show has not yet been announced — but based on strike guidelines, union members are prohibited from participating in interviews for accomplished work and making personal appearances.
Recent seasons of “The View,” “Tamron Hall,” and “Live with Kelly and Mark” also premiered this month.
Barrymore’s show debuted in September 2020 at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
It delivered “record growth” last season, based on Deadline, which reported a 65% increase in total viewers 12 months to 12 months, making it the fastest growing talk show on television.
The brand new season of “Jeopardy!,” meanwhile, will premiere Monday. Producers announced last month that Season 40 will proceed a bit in a different way than usual.
On the “Inside Jeopardy!” podcast, “Jeopardy!” showrunner Michael Davies revealed that the long-running quiz show will use recycled material and have former contestants due to strike.
“The fabric that we’re gonna be using is a mixture of fabric that our WGA writers wrote before the strike, which remains to be within the database and material that’s being redeployed from multiple, multiple seasons of the show,” Davies said.
