David Letterman To Return Jan. 2nd With Writing Staff

David Letterman’s production company yesterday became the first to cut a deal with the striking Writers Guild of America, enabling “Late Show With David Letterman” and “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” to return to the air on Jan. 2 with their writing staffs.

Letterman’s Worldwide Pants, which owns both shows, worked out the agreement just days before late-night talk shows will resume after an eight-week hiatus.

“I am grateful to the WGA for granting us this agreement,” Letterman said in a statement. “We’re happy to be going back to work, and particularly pleased to be doing it with our writers.”

The agreement gives huge leverage to Letterman and CBS, which will now have the only late-night shows with material written by professional writers. In addition, Letterman and Ferguson will be the only shows that can regularly attract big-name celebrities without fear of a picket line.

Almost all of the talk shows have said they will return Wednesday, but without writers. “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central will return the following Monday, Jan. 7.

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