The White Lotus season three has been hit by a major problem

The White Lotus exploded onto our screens in 2021, becoming an immediate cult-classic, winning almost every award out there and propelling Jennifer Coolidge (and the whole ensemble) to super stardom. 

The first two seasons saw the White Lotus hotel and its staff open its doors to a host of rich, glamorous and unhappy guests over the summer - the first in Maui, Hawaii, and the second in Sicily, with both seasons ending in shock deaths.

And with season three now in the works, we have questions - lots of questions. 

How is The White Lotus hotel franchise recovering after the explosive season two finale? Has Greg been caught for his murderous plan? Are Shane and Rachel still together from season one? Did Belinda finally get to open her spa? Will Jennifer Coolidge return for a Tanya McQuoid flashback cameo? And crucially, where will The White Lotus season three be set?

Well, it looks like we might have to wait a bit of time to find out, with the highly-anticipated third season facing a major delay.

Yes, really. The show was originally tipped for release in 2024, but it has been reported that production for the third season has been delayed by the ongoing strike action.

The Hollywood strikes have seen the Writers' Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) take strike action together for the first time in over 60 years, calling for better pay and working conditions.

And with no end date in sight, the production and therefore release date of The White Lotus season three will undoubtedly be delayed further.

"The White Lotus was ideally looking to go in 2024," explained Francesca Orsi, HBO's EVP and Head of Drama, via Deadline. "But there's some question about timing of the strike."

We will continue to update this story.