Barrymore sparked a backlash after she announced “The Drew Barrymore Show” would return even as the WGA strike was ongoing. It's not clear why the writers declined to return.

Even though the writers strike that crippled talk shows has lifted, the three co-head writers for Drew Barrymore’s daytime show have declined to return, sources close to the production said.

It was not clear from the sources why the three writers are not returning.

The production sources said offers were extended to all three when they could be extended after the end of the strike, which was lifted on Sept. 27, and all three declined.

Barrymore was criticized after she announced in September that she would resume “The Drew Barrymore Show,” a daytime talk show, even though the strike by the Writers Guild of America had not yet been resolved.

Barrymore was dropped as the host of the National Book Awards in response.

She later walked back the decision, apologized to anyone who felt hurt, and said she would wait to resume production until the strike was over.