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Television series Desperate Housewives has fallen victim to Hollywood's writers' strike, as analysts grimly forecast the feud may rumble on for months.
Production on new episodes of the sitcom was reportedly to stop today.
The show is among the first major US network series to go into shutdown because of the strike, which began on Monday after bitter contract talks between writers and producers broke down. The Writers Guild of America is seeking to secure payment from sales of television series and films downloaded or broadcast on the internet.
Yesterday, writers picketed the shooting of a Desperate Housewives episode in Los Angeles. Actress Eva Longoria later emerged to distribute pizza to picketers and declare support as filming prepared to stop.
The series' creator, Marc Cherry, has been one of the WGA's lead negotiators during the dispute.
