Drew Barrymore Steps Down as MTV Movie & TV Awards Host Days Before Show to Support Writers Strike

Drew Barrymore is making a major show of support for the writers strike by stepping down from hosting the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards.

On Thursday, three days before the awards show, Variety reported that the actress and daytime talk show personality will no longer host MTV's awards show in solidarity with members of the Writers Guild of America union members, who enacted a strike earlier this week on Tuesday.

This year's show will continue without a host. Barrymore, 48, has agreed to return to host the awards show in 2024, and she is expected to still appear in pre-recorded segments during this year's broadcast. The red carpet portion of the event is also canceled, per Variety.

"I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike," Barrymore said in a statement.

"Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of [writers'] creation," Barrymore continued. "And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I'll be watching from home and hope you will join me."

She added that she expects to join the show 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.​"

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

According to Variety, programming for the show is "still evolving day by day" as MTV determines who among its scheduled presenters, nominees and guests will still choose to appear amid the strike.

A spokesperson for MTV did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

MTV Movie & TV Awards executive producer Bruce Gillmer told Variety Thursday he is still waiting to find out who among the expected presenters and nominees may still attend the awards show.

"So [Barrymore is] not going to be with us live in the house for the show and we will essentially be going hostless," he said. "The silver lining in all of this is that we really formed a partnership almost a family-like atmosphere. So we see this as a shift in direction, but also a pause for the initial plan, which we've all agreed and she's accepted to continue as our host in 2024."

The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards air live from Barker Hangar in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 7 at 8 p.m. ET on MTV, and simulcasting across BET, BETHer, Comedy Central, CMT, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land and VH1.