Drew Barrymore tried to contain the damage from her decision to bring her daytime talk show back before before the Writers Guild of America ended its strike, first by apologizing and then ultimately changing her mind. But apparently it was too little, too late for her three writers, all of whom have now walked away from The Drew Barrymore Show, The Daily Beast confirmed on Wednesday.
The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news that co-head writers Cristina Kinon, Liz Koe, and Chelsea White have chosen not to return to the show, and a source told to The Daily Beast that all three had seen their contracts extended but chose to walk away. The Drew Barrymore Show will now begin interviewing new writers and will remain in compliance with guild rules, the source added.
Barrymore sparked backlash last month when she confirmed her daytime talk show’s Season 4 premiere date while her WGA writers were still on strike. (The host was not in violation of SAG-AFTRA’s ongoing walkout, as daytime talk shows fall under a different contract from the one the actors union is striking.)
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Speaking with The Daily Beast amid the strike, Kinon said she understood “the perspective of wanting to protect your cast, your crew, and your staff.” At the same time, she added, she and her fellow writers were standing with their union.
“And then, expanding out more, we’re standing with all of labor and all of the unions across the world, because that is how it works. Unions only work when you stick together with unions across the labor spectrum.”
Kinon and White did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment; The Daily Beast was unable to contact Koe.
Days after confirming her show’s return to air, Barrymore “deeply” apologized for the decision but stood fast in it.
“There’s a huge question of the ‘why,’” the actress said. “Why am I doing this? Well, I certainly couldn’t have expected this kind of attention. And we aren’t gonna break rules, and we will be in compliance. I wanted to do this because, as I said, this is bigger than me, and there are other people’s jobs on the line.”
Not long afterward, however, The Drew Barrymore Show and other series including The Talk and The Jennifer Hudson Show postponed their planned returns to screen. Now that the WGA has struck an “exceptional” deal with Hollywood’s major studios, programs have begun to announce their return to air.
The Drew Barrymore Show will debut its fourth season on Monday, October 16.
