Saturday Night Live Is Celebrating 50 Years with a Three-Hour Primetime Special
Block off your calendars for SNL50: The Anniversary Special this February.
Live from New York it's... Sunday night!
NBC has revealed the first of its plans for celebrating 50 years of Saturday Night Live in 2025: The show is putting together a three-hour live primetime special airing Sunday, February 16, on NBC and Peacock to mark a half century of laughs.
SNL50: The Anniversary Special will be the crown jewel of a big weekend of events highlighting the trailblazing sketch series' rich history.
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So which celebrities will be attending SNL's 50th anniversary, and where can you stream it? Check out everything we know so far below — and stay tuned for more ways NBC will be looking back at memorable sketches, cast members, writers, and moments from the show's 50-season body of work in the coming months.
Who's the Host for SNL50: The Anniversary Special?
No word yet on whether any one person will host the big night, or if members of SNL's Five-Timers Club will be there. That said, you can bet that many friends of the show will take the stage, including current and former cast and other familiar faces.
The star-studded SNL 40th Anniversary Special, which aired back in February 2015, featured dozens of current and past cast members, a celebrity-filled audience, and musical performances by legends such as Paul McCartney and Paul Simon alongside talent like Miley Cyrus. So you can only imagine what the show has planned for the 2025 celebration.
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How to watch and stream SNL50: The Anniversary Special
SNL will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a weekend-long look back at the late-night sketch series, culminating in the three-hour primetime SNL50: The Anniversary Speciall. The program will air Sunday, February 16 from 8-11 p.m. E.T. on NBC and Peacock.
There will be more announcements in the coming months with additional info about SNL's historic 50th anniversary celebration — so block off your calendars for February 2025 now. SNL is currently in the middle of a highly-watched Season 50 with hysterical hosts including premiere Host Jean Smart, Ariana Grande, Nate Bargatze.
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Relive SNL history with 50 Seasons in 50 Days
In the weeks leading up to February 16's three-hour 50th anniversary celebration on NBC, the team behind Saturday Night Live has selected one sketch from every single season — 50 seasons in 50 days — to represent the show's rich legacy across five decades.
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Peacock's Beyond Saturday Night Docuseries premieres January 16
An all-access four-part docuseries, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, debuts January 16, only on Peacock.
Executive-produced by Morgan Neville, the Academy and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker behind documentaries Piece by Piece and 20 Feet From Stardom, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night features rare behind-the-scenes footage of the iconic late night series, celebrity interviews, and more than 60 contributors — including former cast members and writers — reflecting on working on the show.
Each episode is a deep dive into a different aspect of SNL. All four episodes premiere January 16.
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Questlove's 50 Years of SNL Music documentary
Ahead of the February 16 special, NBC will broadcast the documentary Ladies & Gentleman ... 50 Years of SNL Music, co-directed by Oz Rodriguez and The Roots drummer, Tonight Show bandleader, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Questlove. The three-hour special broadcast event promises "untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking and news-making musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years." The movie premieres January 27 on NBC, streaming next-day on Peacock.
Originally published May 13, 2024.
