Sherri Shepherd, one of the few daytime talk show hosts who returned for the fall season amid Hollywood strikes, has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting a temporary pause in production on her show, “Sherri.”
In an official statement shared on the show’s Instagram page, it was announced, “Unfortunately, Sherri has tested positive for COVID. The show will return with original episodes as soon as possible. For the remainder of this week, encore episodes from the beginning of the premiere week will air. The health of our host and entire staff is of the utmost importance.”
Sherri Shepherd herself also released a statement, expressing her disappointment: “I am absolutely heartbroken that I cannot return to host my show this week. As soon as I get the all-clear from my doctor, I look forward to coming back strong to deliver the fun, laughter, and a real good time.”
“Sherri” had recently launched its new season on Monday. Unlike “The Drew Barrymore Show,” which faced significant backlash for initially announcing its return before reversing the decision, “Sherri” operates under a different labor union agreement and is not covered by the Writers Guild of America (WGA). As per the SAG-AFTRA Network Code governing talk shows, actors are allowed to continue their hosting duties during the strike. Other daytime shows such as “The Tamron Hall Show” and “Live with Kelly and Mark” have also returned for the fall season, although some, like “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and “The Talk,” have chosen to delay their originally scheduled premieres. It’s worth noting that “The View” has been broadcasting throughout the strike, although it has faced picketing as the show employs WGA writers.
Sherri Shepherd addressed the confusion surrounding work during the strike on a recent episode of her show, stating, “There has been so much confusion about who can work and who can’t work. Well, I’m a SAG-AFTRA actress, and I actually marched with some of my colleagues while in Los Angeles recently. But here’s the thing, talk shows, in general, fall under a different union contract code, so we’re allowed to come back unless you’re a WGA show. The ‘Sherri’ show is not a WGA show, and we have never employed WGA writers, so us coming back to work isn’t crossing the picket line.”
