“SNL” Returning With Pete Davidson Hosting the Season 49 Premiere
With the writer’s strike officially over and negotiations to end the actor’s strike in full swing, hopes are high that things are returning to normal in the entertainment industry. And nothing can make things feel back on track like a fresh season of Saturday Night Live beginning in the fall. This makes the news that SNL has lined up beloved former cast member Pete Davidson as host for the season 49 premiere feel extra promising. Who better to invite us back into hoodie season than Pete Davidson?
SNL will return on October 14 with Davidson and musical guest Ice Spice. One unusual aspect of season 49 is that the entire cast is returning, a rarity for a show that often sees at least one or two cast members head off to work on TV or film projects. Davidson was set to host last season, but then the strikes started and scuttled those plans. SAG-AFTRA has released a statement that clarified that any performer who appears on SNL is not crossing the picket line, which means that the legendary sketch show will be able to go full steam ahead for the season.
The returning cast are Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Punkie Johnson, Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang. James Austin Johnson and Sarah Sherman have been promoted from featured player status, and Chloe Troast has been added as a featured player.
By the time Davidson, Ice Spice, and the SNL gang deliver their premiere episode, the actor’s strike negotiations will have been well underway, so who knows, maybe they’ll be over by the time Bad Bunny takes the stage at 8H to host the second episode of the season. It’s fall, the temps are set to drop, the cozy vibes will begin in earnest, and SNL will be back in full swing. In an otherwise topsy-turvy world, this is as comforting as it gets.
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Featured image: Pete Davidson as Scott Carlin in The King of Staten Island, directed by Judd Apatow.
