There’s a wave of good feelings surrounding Neil Patrick Harris at the moment, between his Oscars hosting gig and his upcoming American Horror Story appearance. However, the Gone Girl star’s image might get tarnished thanks to a fight with the Writers Guild of America over his NBC variety show.
Late last month, NBC announced a 10-episode variety series that Harris will host, but the show will actually be based on a U.K. series, Saturday Night Takeaway. Because of that, it is an ITV Studios America production and the studio still doesn’t have a contract with the WGA East. Deadline reports that the two sides have been trying to reach terms for over four years, since the company complains about its reality shows, written by nonunion writers and producers.
WGA East Executive Director Lowell Peterson wrote to ITV, saying that he is “puzzled that ITV apparently intends to produce the show” with nonunion writers and producers. ITV stressed in a statement that the show hasn’t even started production.
Harris is known to support unions, even hosting the 2009 WGA West award show. After reports on the dispute surfaced, the former How I Met Your Mother actor vowed on Twitter that the show will be written by union writers.
Know this: my variety show will absolutely be crafted by union writers. I've been assured by ITV that it will be a WGA show. Period.
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) November 5, 2014
ITV and WGA East haven’t commented since NPH’s tweet, but it should ease fears. He is an executive producer on the show and clearly doesn’t want it impeded.
image courtesy of Kristin Callahan/ACE/INFphoto.com
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