Sunday’sMTV Movie & TV Awardsis the latest scheduled program to take a hit due to the ongoing writers' strike. While the telecast will still air this Sunday night, it will do so without a host.Drew Barrymorehas backed out of her hosting duties as a symbol of solidarity to thewriters on strike demanding better pay, job conditions, and job security. She has, however, agreed to host next year’s Awards ceremony. In a statement toVariety, Barrymore said:
“I have listened to the writers, and to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike. Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of their creation. And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I’ll be watching from home and hope you will join me. I thank MTV, who has truly been some of the best partners I have ever worked with. And I can’t wait to be a part of this next year, when I can truly celebrate everything that MTV has created, which is a show that allows fans to choose who the awards go to and is truly inclusive.”
Bruce Gillmer, the president of music, music talent, programming, and events at Paramount Global and an executive producer of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, sang Barrymore’s praises and showed support for her decision:
“Drew, without question, she’s been incredible. It’s hard to imagine that we’ve ever had a better experience with a host,” Gillmer told Variety. “She’s more of a partner really, she’s in it every day, just super passionate and super engaged and creative. She even bought some of her own team along for the journey. So when this all reared its head, we started to prepare for what could be. She is not surprisingly, standing in solidarity with the writers, which we have full respect for. She has our full support.”
The telecast won’t be completely Barrymore-less, though. The talk show host previously recorded short films that will still air during the awards show.
Related:Pete Davidson’s Saturday Night Live Episode Shelved; Will Air Reruns During WGA Strike
What Should Viewers Expect?
This year’sMTV Movie & TV Awardswill look a lot different from what MTV imagined; while the telecast will still include a live audience, it is expected that some presenters and guests will not attend. In addition, the red carpet and pre-telecast interviews have been scrapped. According to Gillmer, the show must go on, and the network intends to deliver for the fans who voted for the awards.
Regardless of who is in the room Sunday night, Gillmer believes that the pre-tapped acceptance speeches, shorts, and exclusive film sneak peeks will provide an entertaining telecast for viewers. The star-studded list of presenters for Sunday’sMTV Movie & TV Awardsincludes Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Gal Gadot, the cast ofYellowjackets, andThe Little Mermaid’s Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King, among others. It remains to be seen who will be present. Regardless, Gillmer says: “We’re going to be super respectful of the talents' decisions to either be involved in pre-tapes, show up or not show up, whatever they decide.”
The show airs live on Sunday, May 7, at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.
