‘Their Fight Is Our Fight’: Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Stands in Solidarity with WGA Strike Authorization Vote

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International U.K. writers haven’t kept quiet in their support of the Writers Guild of America strike, with many making enthusiastic shows of solidarity on social media. But behind the scenes, several writers have told Variety under the condition of anonymity that they’re frustrated about a grey area in strike rules that have left them in limbo. These projects tend to be set up with the U.K. branches of “struck” companies like Disney or Netflix, but aren’t covered by WGA terms. As these multi-national businesses have grown their local productions in recent years, many British writers who are also WGA members fall into this camp, and are being pressured to walk away.

EXCLUSIVE: His Dark Materials and Enola Holmes scribe Jack Thorne, a “proud” member of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, has paused work on two projects in solidarity with the WGA strikers.

unable to reach a deal in contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.The guild has shared an infographic that outlines the $773 million in combined salary that eight major Hollywood studio CEOs made in 2021. They include Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel ($308.2 million), Warner Bros.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International As strike action is set to get underway in Los Angeles and New York, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has officially instructed its members to halt work on projects within the jurisdiction of the Writers’ Guild of America. A statement released by the WGGB on Tuesday afternoon local time reads as follows: “We understand that these are difficult times and that many writers are in need of work but we are advising our members not to work on projects in the jurisdiction of the WGA for the duration of the strike following a motion of solidarity passed by our lay governing body, our Executive Council and in line with our affiliation agreement with the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds, of which we are a member.”

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has sent out guidance to its members over the strike and said it will bar non-members from joining the Guild in future if they break rank.

Editors note: Farah Bunch has worked as a makeup artist in film and television for more than 25 years. Her credits include Will & Grace, Man with a Plan and the Oscars. She is currently working on the reboot of Frasier for Paramount+.  

in the midst of negotiations for a new contract, “Late Night” host Seth Meyers spoke out in solidarity with the WGA and acknowledged the potential of his NBC series going dark should a strike occur.“I am deeply proud of the fact that I get to be a professional writer and I bring this up because as of Monday at midnight, there might be a writer’s strike,” Meyers said on Friday’s episode of his traditionally goofy “Late Night” YouTube program “Corrections.”“If a writer’s strike happens, that would shut down production on a great many shows, and I’ve been through this before in 2007, 2008. There was a very long strike when I was working at ‘SNL,’ and it was really miserable, and it doesn’t just affect the writers, it affects all the incredible non-writing staff on these shows, and it would really be a miserable thing for people to have to go through, especially considering we’re on the heels of that awful pandemic that affected obviously not just showbusiness but all of us.”Meyers expressed his gratitude for the negotiators at the table and threw his full support behind the WGA.“I’m incredibly grateful that there are negotiators for both sides sitting and talking.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International MUBI has acquired all rights for Molly Manning Walker’s directorial debut “How to Have Sex” for major territories. The deal covers North America, U.K., Ireland, Italy, Latin America, Turkey and Benelux ahead of the movie’s world premiere at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section. Theatrical releases are planned for key territories, including the U.S. and U.K. In Benelux, the film will be released theatrically in partnership with Imagine Film Distribution. Following theatrical releases, the film will premier exclusively on MUBI in all territories acquired.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Sony Pictures Television has appointed Matthew Justice as executive VP and head of U.K. and Europe. In the newly created role, he will report into Wayne Garvie, president of International Productions. Justice will directly manage SPT’s international studio operations and European co-productions business, as well as work closely with SPT International Production’s wholly-owned and joint venture production companies in the region, which includes Bad Wolf, Eleven Films and Left Bank Pictures. Justice most recently served as managing director at ITV Studios-backed Big Talk. He will start at SPT later this year.

Madness will be heading to Manchester on their upcoming arena tour, it’s been confirmed. The ska icons will be stopping off in the city, at the AO, as part of their C’est La Vie 2023 UK tour.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The BBC has unveiled a new look at “Doctor Who” stars Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson. Gatwa, who’s playing the 15th Doctor, and Gibson’s Ruby Sunday are clad head to toe in ‘60s garb in a series of new photos revealed Thursday. The broadcaster is keeping mum on any additional details about the shoot, other than the fact that filming is now underway on the “Doctor Who” special that features the pair. The BBC revealed the official first images of its new Doctor and Ruby in December. The first look photographs included a solo shot of Gatwa in a cozy orange sweater and patterned coat, as well as a duo shot with him and his companion Ruby Sunday.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Is Take That back for good? “Greatest Days” — the screen adaptation of the British pop act’s stage musical “The Band” — has unveiled its first trailer, with a U.K. and Ireland release date set for June 16. News of the movie’s release comes just a week after the band was revealed as one of the acts set for King Charles’ coronation concert next month. The group will also perform at a London premiere for “Greatest Days” on June 15. The performance will be broadcast alongside previews of the movie, which will screen at cinemas around the country on June 15.

The Writers Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has once again thrown its weight behind the WGA, with its chair saying the WGGB will “stand shoulder to shoulder with our sister union.”

The WGA is expected to receive overwhelming support for a strike authorization today after writers have been voting for the past week.

Thousands of elderly people who live alone in Greater Manchester are going without central heating amidst the ever-growing cost of living crisis.

WWE superstar Kelly Kelly and husband Joe Coba never imagined embarking on an IVF journey. The process can be taxing and even take its toll on relationships but for this couple, the process brought them even closer.The doting couple invited ET's Cassie DiLaura into their home for an in-depth conversation about their IVF journey, which resulted in Kelly, who also goes by Barbie Blank Coba, becoming pregnant with twins.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Take That and Andrea Bocelli are among the first acts confirmed for King Charles’ Coronation concert. The singers will hit the stage at the May 7 concert on Windsor Castle grounds in front of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests. Also joining are Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and classical-soul composer-producer Alexis Ffrench. BBC Studios, which is producing the show, has said more names will be confirmed in due course. For months, all eyes have been on the king’s Coronation concert, which has reportedly struggled to pull in top acts with musicians citing busy touring schedules.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International When former HBO executive Kary Antholis convinced veteran British producer Jane Featherstone to board a project about the Chernobyl disaster, the prospect of such an undertaking was far from a “slam dunk.”  “It had to be pushed over the line,” says Featherstone, “and that was with everybody supporting it.” But in the end, the historical drama from “The Last of Us” showrunner Craig Mazin was, as the producer puts it, a “lucky, lucky call” — and one that richly paid off.  The 2019 HBO and Sky miniseries about the 1986 nuclear catastrophe in Ukraine starring Jared Harris and Emily Watson won multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Awards, and put Featherstone’s new venture, Sister Pictures, on the map. 

Negotiations for a new WGA contract have made “a little bit of progress” on feature films, but otherwise the two sides remain “far away” from a deal.