HBO’s acclaimed talk series Real Time With Bill Maher is set to return without writers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The topical talk show is one of various shows set to begin amidst the dual labor strikes by the WGA and SAF-AFTRA unions. Maher announced the show’s return in a post on X (Twitter) yesterday.

“Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing. It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns,” Maher posted. He went on to comment on how other staff members are struggling as the writer’s strike has halted work for many in the industry.

“I’m not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much,” Maher continued via The Hollywood Reporter.

The WGA issued a statement in response acknowledging Maher’s decision as “disappointing” and that they would continue to picket any struck show that options to film during the strike.

“As a WGA member, Bill Maher is obligated to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services. It is difficult to imagine how Real Time can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place. WGA will be picketing this show,” the union’s statement continued via The Hollywood Reporter. The WGA has now been on strike for 135 days with the SAG-AFTRA halting working for 61 days. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some 17,000 jobs were lost in August, with many facing eviction and seeking assistance from organized food banks.

Maher warned viewers that the show would be noticeably different without writers.

“And I’ll say it upfront to the audience: the show I will be doing without my writers will not be as good as our normal show, full stop,” Maher stated via The Hollywood Reporter. “But the heart of the show is an off-the-cuff panel discussion that aims to cut through the bullshit and predictable partisanship, and that will continue. The show will not disappoint.”

While Maher’s show is not the first talk show to resume production and essentially cross the picket line, it is one of the first night-talk series to do so. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Maher’s counterparts Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live), Stephen Colbert (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert), Jimmy Fallon (The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon), and Seth Meyers (Late Night With Seth Meyers) remain dark. Kimmel, Colbert, and Fallon plan to hold a show in Las Vegas with the proceeds going to the striking workers.

Daytime talk shows returning to the air include CBS’s The Talk, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and Sherri. ABC’s The View resumed new shows this week just as The Drew Barrymore Show returned – to some pushback – filming its fourth season. Some talk shows are given permission to continue airing new episodes as they don’t always employ union writers.

Real Time With Bill Maher is set to air new episodes on Friday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.