The Drew Barrymore Show writers are DECLINING to return for new season after host caught backlash for filming series during WGA strikes – and fans jibed: ‘She could have just waited a week’

Three of The Drew Barrymore Show’s writers say they will not return to the talk show after the host initially planned to bring the show back during the then-WGA strike.

Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon and Liz Koe have all turned down job offers to return for the show’s fourth season, sources said The Hollywood Reporter Wednesday.

Insiders told THR that White, Kinon and Koe – were all co-head writers and were involved throughout the series.

They had been ‘visible and vocal’ when Barrymore initially decided to cross the picket line on her return to air, before the fallout led her to suspend the show until the strike ended.

The show is currently in the interview process with writers to replace the departed trio and will adhere to WGA rules in its dealings, insiders told THR.

The trio of writers gathered outside the New York studios had held up signs with statements like “Drew’s News: Strikes” and “Hoot if you (like) union labor,” the outlet reported.

The three writers were also put off by the lack of communication throughout the process, having found out that Barrymore was returning to the air through social media advertisements for tickets to the show.

White said THR on September 11 that it was “sad to hear the show is returning because it sends the message that union writers are not valuable.”

White had “no comment” at the time when asked if she would return to her post on the show after the strike ended.

Kinon told the outlet, “I understand that everyone has to do what they think is best for them. It’s important to me and the WGA writers on the show that we stick with our union. We deserve a fair contract, so we’re out of this today.”

The staff change comes as Barrymore’s eponymous talk show has set a return date following the writers’ strike controversy.

The premiere date of the upcoming season four was announced on Wednesday via the TV show’s official social media accounts.

Along with a cheerful photo of the 48-year-old host – who issued a tearful apology amid the backlash last month – the caption read: “This just in: we’re starting our brand new season on Monday October 16th!”

It comes shortly after the Writers Guild of America’s months-long strike was resolved with a new three-year contract.

Barrymore faced backlash after initially planning to bring the show back on September 18, despite the then-ongoing strike.

The revised return comes after fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the actress after the new writing deal was reached, with one person writing, “She could have just waited a week or two.”

Another person shared a similar sentiment with a post that read, “Lmao, if Drew Barrymore had just waited a week she could have avoided that social media attack now that WGA has (stopped) hitting.”

Someone else shared a video of a woman hitting her head on a table and joked: “Drew Barrymore realized she could have just waited a week for the strike to end.”

And yet another fan shared a crying emoji, writing, “I bet Drew Barrymore wishes she would have waited about a week to make that announcement.”

Last month, Barrymore was called out for her lack of solidarity with the WGA, prompting her to post (and later delete) a video asking for fans’ forgiveness.

She announced that she was reversing her decision after the backlash, writing on Instagram: “I 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 my deepest apologies to everyone I have hurt and of course to our incredible team who worked on the show and made it what it is today.

“We’ve really been trying to find our way forward. And I really hope that there will be a solution for the entire sector soon.’

The pushback came after she said in the aforementioned video, “I wanted to make a decision so that it wasn’t a PR-protected situation, and I would just take full responsibility for my actions.”

“I don’t think there’s anything I can do or say right now to make it right,” she said through tears.

‘I completely accept that. I completely understand that. There are so many reasons why this is so complex, and I just want everyone to know that my intentions have never upset or hurt again.

‘It’s not who I am. I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my life, and this is one of them. I deeply apologize to the writers. I sincerely apologize to the unions.”

She added: ‘There’s a big question as to why – why am I doing this?

“Well, I certainly couldn’t have expected this kind of attention, and we’re not going to break the rules and we’re going to stick to them.

“I wanted to do this because, like I said, this is bigger than me and other people’s jobs are at stake.”

The writers were allowed to return to work late last month after the WGA agreed to a three-year contract with an alliance of the industry’s largest studios, streaming services and production companies.

Union leaders hailed the deal as a victory on issues including pay, staff size and the use of artificial intelligence, none of which was worth the months of protest.

Following this example in July, actors began striking in July over many of the same issues as writers.

SAG-AFTRA leaders have said they will look closely at the benefits and tradeoffs of the WGA agreement, but noted that their demands would remain the same as when the strike began.