Bill Maher Postpones Return Of HBO’s ‘Real Time’

Bill Maher is the latest host to postpone his return to work.

Maher said that Real Time with Bill Maher will not, as previously planned, return to HBO on September 22.

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He joins the likes of Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Hudson and The Talk in delaying returning to the studio.

Over the weekend, a slew of hosts including Barrymore, reversed their decision to return to work, following criticism from writers and actors. Hudson made the same decision, while CBS’ The Talk also reversed course.

Last week, Maher said that he was bringing his late-night show back “sans writers”, saying that it was “time to bring people back to work”.

The WGA had called Maher’s decision “disappointing” and revealed it would picket his show.

He has now cited optimism around talks between the WGA and the AMPTP, which is set for later this week, for his change of mind.

While Barrymore and others took a lot of flak on social media for deciding to return to work while the writers were still on strike, many writers did not expect contrarian Maher to change his plans.

Real Time with Bill Maher, which has been renewed through 2024 by the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network, is exec produced by Maher, Sheila Griffiths, Marc Gurvitz, Dean Johnsen, and Billy Martin. Chris Kelly is co-exec producer, Matt Wood is producer and Paul Casey is director.

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