After a monumental 50th season, full of surprise appearances and extra memorable bits, “Saturday Night Live” is back for season 51.
As always, there were some cast exits in the off-season; longtime fans won’t see staples including Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim and more when the sketch comedy returns. But, there are some new “SNL” cast members too.
Here’s what you need to know headed into Saturday night.
When does season 51 premiere?
New episodes of “SNL” begin on Saturday, October 4 at 11:30 p.m. ET.
Who’s hosting?
So far, “SNL” has set three hosts for the season. Bad Bunny will kick things off, followed by some fan favorites. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Oct. 4 (premiere): Bad Bunny hosts, Doja Cat musical guest
- Oct. 11: Amy Poehler hosts, Role Model musical guest
- Oct. 18: Sabrina Carpenter hosts and serves as the musical guest
Who left the cast ahead of season 51?
Along with Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow and Emil Wakim all exited the sketch series.
The show also split up Please Don’t Destroy, who had largely filled the place of Lonely Island for a few years. Ben Marshall was upped to featured player for season 51, with Martin Herlihy staying on the writing staff. Meanwhile, John Higgins exited the show entirely to pursue acting projects.
Who are the new “SNL” cast members?
Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronica Slowikowksa join Marshall as this season’s new featured players.
Brennan, who is from Saint Paul, Minnesota, was selected as a Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy in 2023 and has appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Likewise, Culhane is best known for his viral TikTok videos, and also appears as a regular on Dropout TV and performs with the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles.
Patterson is a regular on live comedy podcast “Kill Tony” and can be seen on Netflix’s “72 Hours,” while Slowikowska is known for her comedy content on Instagram and TikTok and has appeared in Netflix’s “Tires” and FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows.”
Is ‘SNL’ streaming?
Yes, ”Saturday Night Live” streams new episodes live on Peacock. Episodes are then available to watch on demand on the streaming service.
