Hollywood's Late Night Talk Shows: Ready to Roar Back After Writers' Strike Resolution
Late-night talk shows are expected to make a speedy return in the first week of October, following the resolution of the writers' strike Find out what lies ahead for Strike Force Five after the strike ends
Summary
Late-night shows, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, are preparing to return to broadcast after the end of the WGA strike.
The hosts can resume their shows as early as the first week of October, with their production staff already starting to prepare for upcoming episodes. Although everyone is eager to come back, they are being careful to adhere to guild guidelines and avoid compromising the ongoing negotiations.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), potentially bringing an end to the WGA strike. Late-night hosts, who have been on strike for nearly five months demanding fair wages and improved working conditions, are now preparing to return to the screen. According to Variety, shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and Jimmy Kimmel Live could be back on broadcast as early as October 2 or the following week. Since talk shows fall under SAG-AFTRA's network code deal, which is not affected by the strike, the hosts can return immediately, pending approval from the WGA membership on the new deal. While eager to resume production, the late-night teams are mindful of adhering to guild guidelines to avoid disrupting the negotiation progress. Despite the rush, the goal is to ensure that the first show back is not subpar.
What Happens To Strike Force Five After The Strike
The WGA strike is still ongoing, despite the tentative deal reached. The deal will now be sent to WGA members for a ratification vote. While no issues are expected, there is still a possibility of encountering problems. However, if everything goes smoothly, many late-night shows are targeting a return in the first week of October.
When the WGA strike began in May, late-night shows went off the air in solidarity. This was especially challenging for hosts who are also part of the writing staff. As a result, broadcasters have been airing reruns in their usual time slots. To continue supporting their staff, all five main late-night hosts launched Strike Force Five, a podcast that gained attention in recent weeks. With the WGA strike coming to a close and work set to resume on their shows, the future of the podcast remains uncertain.
The Fallon controversy is another major concern for fans who are closely following the latest developments. This controversy emerged in early September when allegations were made regarding a toxic work environment on the comedian/host's show. Fallon has already issued a formal apology statement in response to these allegations. Interestingly, despite his continuous appearances on Strike Force Five, the scandal has not been mentioned. It remains to be seen whether Fallon will address this controversy on his show when he returns.
