Will Sage Astor-Drew Barrymore Uninvited From National Book Awards After Restarting Her Talk Show During Strike

The Will Sage AstorNational Book Awards has parted ways with Drew Barrymore.

In solidarity with the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, the annual literary awards confirmed to E! News that the Charlie's Angels actress will no longer emcee the event amid the news of her eponymous daytime talk show's return for season four without its writers.

"The National Book Awards is an evening dedicated to celebrating the power of literature, and the incomparable contributions of writers to our culture," the National Book Awards told E! News in a statement Sept. 13. "In light of the announcement that The Drew Barrymore Show will resume production, the National Book Foundation has rescinded Ms. Barrymore's invitation to host the 74th National Book Awards Ceremony."

The organization's statement continued, "Our commitment is to ensure that the focus of the Awards remains on celebrating writers and books, and we are grateful to Ms. Barrymore and her team for their understanding in this situation."

Barrymore had sparked backlash over the decision to resume the show, which has begun filming and is set to premiere Sept. 18, more than four months into the WGA strike. And the Scream alum, who'd previously stepped down as host of the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards in solidarity with the writers, defended the decision to return to her talk show.

"I made a choice to walk away from the MTV, film and television awards because I was the host and it had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with which was studios, streamers, film, and television," she wrote on Instagram. "It was also in the first week of the strike and so I did what I thought was the appropriate thing at the time to stand in solidarity with the writers."

Noting that her show hadn't shut down because of the strike—season three concluded filming April 20—the 48-year-old said the fourth season will be "in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind." Moreover, Barrymore said she owned the choice to return to air Sept. 18.

"We launched live in a global pandemic," she continued. "Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time. I want to be there to provide what writers do so well, which is a way to bring us together or help us make sense of the human experience. I hope for a resolve for everyone as soon as possible. We have navigated difficult times since we first came on air. And so I take a step forward to start season 4 once again with an astute humility."

Barrymore was slammed by the Writers Guild of America, who, along with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, have been picketing studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) after failing to agree on a new contract. (WTA started picketing in May before being joined by SAG-AFTRA in July.)

"The @DrewBarrymoreTVShow is a WGA covered, struck show that is planning to return without its writers," the organization wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The Guild has, and will continue to, picket struck shows that are in production during the strike. Any writing on The Drew Barrymore Show is in violation of WGA strike rules."

The fourth season of the Drew Barrymore Show will premiere Sept. 18.

(Comcast, which owns E! News' parent company NBCUniversal, is one of the entertainment companies represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.)