Courtesy of Warner Bros.
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” has pushed back its previously planned premiere date and suspended production due to backlash during the writers’ strike, Variety he learned
Jennifer Hudson’s talk show was set to premiere its new season on Monday, September 18. But after mounting criticism—sparked by Drew Barrymore publicly announcing her talk show would return while the writers were on call and then changing course—all eyes were on the day.
On Sunday, Barrymore announced that her talk show would not be returning after all. Her decision has now created a domino effect through the day. Barrymore faced intense backlash after she posted on her Instagram that her talk show would return amid the strikes. Shortly after Barrymore decided to suspend production on her show until the strikes ended, CBS’ The Talk also pushed back its premiere date.
Sherri Shepherd’s talk show “Sherri” returns on Monday, though it’s not a hit show covered by the Writers Guild of America. Kelly Clarkson’s talk show, which moved from Los Angeles to New York over the summer, has yet to announce a premiere date. “The View,” which has two WGA writers in charge, has been on the air without writers throughout the strike.
Talk shows operate under the SAG-AFTRA Network Code, which allows hosts like Hudson and Barrymore to continue in their roles as hosts, so neither host is in violation of SAG-AFTRA rules.
Hudson’s nationally syndicated show, which is covered by the WGA, was scheduled to begin its season without writers, and intended to reinstate the WGA writers once a new contract was in place.
