Producers of Jeopardy! have confirmed that the present’s annual Match of Champions has been delayed. The announcement follows information that at the least seven of the contestants have refused to cross the picket line to tape the present, as a substitute selecting to face in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America throughout their ongoing strike.

The primary contestant to talk out was 13-time present winner, Ray Lalonde, who took to Reddit to clarify the state of affairs. “There at the moment are credible studies that the producers are making contingency plans to start out filming the subsequent season of the present with outdated and/or recycled materials if the WGA strike stays unresolved,” he wrote in a publish on the Jeopardy! subreddit. “As a supporter of the commerce union motion, a union member’s son and a proud union member myself, I’ve knowledgeable the present’s producers that if the strike stays unresolved I cannot cross a picket line to play within the event of champions.” Lalonde is a scenic artist and member of IATSE, a union for movie and TV crew employees.

In response, different champions got here ahead, siding with Lalonde and declaring their intention to face with the WGA. The present’s producers, in the meantime, have confirmed that the event has been delayed, although in a press release to HuffPost they claimed that they “by no means had any intention of manufacturing a Match of Champions for Season 39 till the strike is resolved.”

Regardless, the present has already acquired some flak for actions undermining the WGA. In Could, it was revealed that host Ken Jennings had crossed the picket line as a way to tape the ultimate episodes of the thirty ninth season, even after his co-host, Mayim Bialik, had refused to do the identical.

Now, contestants are uniting of their help for the strike. “I’ll stand with you, Ray!” contestant Hannah Wilson commented on Lalonde’s Reddit publish, earlier than including, “A [Tournament of Champions] with all recycled clues doesn’t sound like a lot enjoyable to play in, anyway.” One other contestant, Cris Pannullo, commented: “I absolutely agree with [Lalonde’s] stance and won’t take part in any video games comprised of recycled clues whereas the WGA strike is in impact.”

Some contestants, like Dan Wohl, have even steered taking issues into their very own palms and internet hosting an unofficial event on-line with “as many [Season 39] contestants as attainable.” Proceeds for the web model would then, in accordance with Wohl, go in direction of a fundraiser for the WGA.

The WGA has been on strike since early Could. Earlier this month, they have been joined by SAG-AFTRA, who declared their strike after failing to barter a brand new contract with the Alliance of Movement Image and Tv Producers (AMPTP).