‘Saturday Night Live’ returns after strike; Pete Davidson, Bad Bunny slated to host

FILE – Pete Davidson attends the premiere of “Meet Cute,” Sept. 20, 2022, in New York. “Saturday Night Live” is ready to make its return, five months after ending its season early due to the writers strike. NBC announced Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, that Davidson will host the season 49 premiere on Oct. 14, with musical guest Ice Spice. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK—Live from New York … it’s the return of ‘Saturday Night Live’ after last season was cut short because of the writers strike.

The long-running sketch comedy show will premiere Season 49 on Oct. 14, NBC announced Wednesday, Oct. 4. Former cast member Pete Davidson will host, making good on a plan to have him host last May. The comedian will be joined by first-time musical guest Ice Spice.

The following week, Bad Bunny will pull double duty as host and musical guest. While the Grammy winner has performed on the show before, it’ll be his hosting debut.

The entire cast from Season 48 will return, along with one new addition: Chloe Troast, as a featured player.

Davidson had been set to host May 6, alongside musical guest Lil Uzi Vert, but his episode was the first to be cut after the writers strike started just days before. The writers strike was declared over Sept. 26 after Writers Guild of America board members approved a contract agreement with studios. While Hollywood actors are still on strike for most television and theatrical work, the “SNL” cast can resume performing as variety shows operate under a different contract.

READ: Talk shows coming back as writers strike ends

Other late-night shows like “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” have also returned.

“I’m excited to do some more ‘SNL,'” cast member James Austin Johnson, known for impressions of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, told The Associated Press earlier this week. “It moves quick.”—With Alicia Rancilio and Mark Kennedy

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