Drew Barrymore quits show in support of writers’ strike

Drew Barrymore is showing solidarity with the striking members of the Writers Guild of America by stepping down as host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, which are scheduled to air on Sunday.

“I have listened to the writers, and to truly respect them, I will be no longer hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike,” Barrymore said Thursday in a statement shared with the CNN .

“Everything we celebrate and honor in film and television stems from his creation. And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait, but I will be watching from home and hope you will join me,” his statement continued.

Barrymore added that he “can’t wait to be a part of the event next year when I can really celebrate everything that MTV has created, which is a program that lets fans choose who the awards go to and is truly inclusive.”

Bruce Gillmer, executive producer of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, said Thursday in a statement to Variety that Barrymore has the “full support” of the show’s producers in stepping down as this year’s host, and added that the show is now essentially “hostless.”

A CNN reached out to Paramount+ and MTV for comment.

A source close to the MTV Movie & TV Awards confirmed to CNN that Barrymore will return to host the 2024 edition of the show. They also confirmed that this year’s show will no longer feature a press line or red carpet.

The MTV Movie & TV Awards is the latest television event to be affected by the strike. Earlier this week, CNN reported that late-night shows and “Saturday Night Light” are repeating as their writers join the picket lines, according to production sources.

A strike began on Tuesday after the WGA and major Hollywood studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture Television Producers failed to agree on terms of a new contract on Monday night.

Guild members have been picketing outside studios on the west and east coasts since Tuesday afternoon, with no end in sight.