Bill Maher reversed his decision to relaunch “Real Time with Bill Maher,” noting that he hopes resumed strike negotiations will prove to be successful.
He took to social media Monday and notified fans that his show will remain in the hold position, despite his announcement mere days prior that he was going to push forward.
“My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike,” he said.
My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening and there was no end in sight to this strike. Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I’m going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this…
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) September 18, 2023
Maher explained why he is no longer moving full steam ahead.
“Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I’m going to delay the return of Real Time, for now, and hope they can finally get this done,” he wrote to Twitter.
The famous host joins a slew of others that have also halted their plans to air their shows after facing backlash. Drew Barrymore walked-back her intentions of starting a new season of “The Drew Barrymore” show, and Jennifer Hudson came forward to delay the return of “The Talk,” according to Deadline.
News of Maher’s delayed programming comes just five days after he announced that he was consciously moving forward.
“Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing,” Maher said in a statement posted to Twitter on Sept. 13.
Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing. It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people…
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) September 14, 2023
“It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work,” he said. He informed fans that his political talk show had been paused for long enough. (RELATED: Drew Barrymore Gives In After Facing Backlash, Won’t Resume Show Until Strike Concludes)
“The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns,” he said.
The WGA slammed Maher’s decision as “disappointing” and said they would picket his show, Deadline noted.