Saturday Night Live shuts down due to writers strike

‘SNL will air repeats until further notice,’ NBC says

Writers picket in front of Netflix on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, on 2 May (AFP via Getty Images)

Saturday Night Live has shut down production because of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.

Hollywood film and TV writers went on strike for the first time in 15 years on Tuesday (2 May) after labour talks with Hollywood studios concluded with no deal on Monday (1 May).

This action has been taken after months of negotiations over pay.

Saturday’s SNL show was set to be the hosting debut for former cast member Pete Davidson, with Lil Uzi Vert as the musical guest.

“SNL will air repeats until further notice starting Saturday, 6 May,” NBC said in a statement.

Many other late-night shows in America have also been pulled off the air due to the strike.

From Tuesday onwards, talk show hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert, won’t be recording episodes of their shows, which will go dark until an agreement is reached.

Meyers supported writers decision to strike on Monday (1 May), stating: “I love writing. I love writing for TV. I love writing this show. I love that we get to come in with an idea for what we want to do every day and we get to work on it all afternoon and then I have the pleasure of coming out here.

“No one is entitled to a job in show business. But for those people who have a job, they are entitled to fair compensation. They are entitled to make a living. I think it’s a very reasonable demand that’s being set out by the guild. And I support those demands.”

Fallon also supported the strike at the Met Gala rep carpet, telling Variety: “I wouldn’t have a show if it wasn’t for my writers, I support them all the way.

“I couldn’t do the show without them.”

In the past, writers have gone on strike a total of six times. The latest strike was in 2007-08, which was resolved after three months.