Jennifer Hudson and The Talk follow Drew Barrymore and U-turn on resuming shows amid strike

Barrymore and Hudson faced criticism for plans to bring back their talk shows amid the writers’ strike

Jennifer Hudson has followed in Drew Barrymore’s footsteps and backtracked on her decision to resume filming on her talk show amid the ongoing writers’ strike.

Last week (11 September), the Never Been Kissed star announced that The Drew Barrymore Showwould resume production on its fourth season.

This was in breach of the current strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), as her chat show is a “WGA-covered, struck show”.

The Jennifer Hudson Show, along with a number of other talk shows including The Talk, then followed suit and announced their return.

Barrymore was widely criticised for her decision to bring the show back, with her co-head writer Cristina Kinon saying that Barrymore would “prolong the strike” by resuming her show.

The 48-year-old shared a video on Friday (15 September) tearfully apologising for her decision. She later deleted the video.

On Sunday (17 September), Barrymore said that she had “listened to everyone” and that The Drew Barrymore Show would remain “paused” until the strike is over.

Hudson hosting her talk show (Warner Bros)

Variety now reports that Hudson’s syndicated talk show has also paused production and pushed back its previously planned premiere date following backlash.

CBS has also confirmed that chat show The Talk will not return either. “The Talk is pausing its season premiere scheduled for 18 September. We will continue to evaluate plans for a new launch date,” a spokesperson said.

After Barrymore announced that she would be resuming her show, WGA members had begun picketing outside of her New York production studio.

In her original apology video shared on Friday (15 September) before it was deleted, Barrymore told her followers: “I believe there’s nothing I can do or say in this moment to make it OK. I know there is just nothing I can do that will make this OK to those that it is not OK with. I fully accept that. I fully understand that.

“I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my life, and this is one of them. I deeply apologise to writers, I deeply apologise to unions, I deeply apologise.”

Barrymore later deleted the video, along with her original post announcing plans to bring the show back.

On Sunday, she then announced that she was making a U-turn on this plan. Barrymore wrote on Instagram: “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 the deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and made it what it is today.”