Talk show host David Letterman has agreed a deal with striking writers that will allow his show to return to TV screens with it's full writing staff. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) said the agreement meant its members would be paid for work distributed online which was one of the major sticking points in their dispute. The interim agreement between the Letterman's Worldwide Pants production company and the WGA also allows the return of spin-off programme The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. "This is not a solution to the strike, which unfortunately continues to disrupt the lives of thousands," said Letterman, "But I hope it will be seen as a step in the right direction." Letterman's deal means he holds an advantage over rivals Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel, who also return next week but without their writing teams and face the prospect of presenting an hour-long nightly television shows without writers to pen their monologues, sketches and other written material. Other fellow presenters Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will not even be allowed to write their own scripts, as they are members of the WGA. Letterman will not be subject to a picket line so guests will be able to attend without fear of harrassment while the other shows face the prospect of celebrity guests being prepared to cross picket lines to appear on their shows.

The strike, which began on 5 November, was called over a dispute on the fees writers get paid for work released on DVD or the internet.

It has thrown the US television industry into chaos, postponing production on several major films and is threatening to spoil Hollywood's annual awards season. Talks between the two sides collapsed on 7 December, with no further talks scheduled the WGA has since decided to pursue separate talks with smaller, independent production companies.

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