CBS’ ‘The Talk’ Set To Return To Filming As Daytime Shows Face Scrutiny Amid Strikes – Update

Peter White
·2 min read
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UPDATE: CBS has confirmed Deadline’s scoop that The Talk will return to air on September 18. It comes as WGA writers picketed a run-through outside CBS Radford.

EXCLUSIVE (9/11/23): Drew Barrymore is not the only daytime talk show host returning to air.

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Deadline hears that CBS’ The Talk is gearing up to return to the studio. We understand there are plans to launch the new season of the show on September 18. CBS declined to comment.

It comes after Barrymore and her show were picketed by WGA members in New York on their first day of filming amid dual labor actions.

Over the weekend, Barrymore addressed her decision to return to work, saying that she “owns this choice”.

The View, with hosts including Whoopi Goldberg, has also been regularly picketed by the WGA. Live with Kelly and Mark, hosted by actors Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, also returned recently with its 36th season. The former employs writers on a separate contract and latter does not employ WGA writers.

Barrymore and Goldberg are allowed to continue to host these shows despite being members of SAG-AFTRA. Some actors such as Mayim Bialik have decided to stay away from these types of shows – Bialik previously co-hosted Jeopardy!, which is returning today with Ken Jennings as host. This is because talk shows, as well as game shows and competition series and others, are allowed to continue to film under SAG-AFTRA rules, otherwise known as Network Code.

The issue is with writers as these shows were previously written by WGA members.

Barrymore herself said that the show would be compliant with WGA rules and also wouldn’t promote struck work.

This will be a similar situation with The Talk, which went dark in May as a result of the writers strike.

The show is hosted by Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood. It’s not clear if all five will return to film the LA-shot show.

Sources said that The Talk is primarily unscripted and only has one writing position on its staff of around 150 employees. No one will be handling this writing role during the writers strike and hosts will be ad-libbing.

The Talk, which is produced by CBS Studios, is heading into Season 14.

Rob Crabbe, who was previously exec producer of The Late Late Show with James Corden, is now showrunner and exec producer of The Talk after Kristin Matthews left the show after 13 years.

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