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SNL Season 50 Premieres on September 28 with Host Jean Smart
The show has added three new Featured Players for the historic 50th season, which will kick of with Host Jean Smart.
It's always a special occasion when Saturday Night Live returns in the fall — but even more so in 2024, as the trailblazing sketch show kicks off its 50th season with Host Jean Smart and Musical Guest Jelly Roll.
Mark your calendars: SNL's Season 50 premieres on September 28! New episodes air on NBC and simulcast live with a Peacock Premium subscription, streaming next day on Peacock.
And while the coming season will bring all of the hilarious sketches and "Weekend Update" installments you'd expect — plus three new faces in the cast — the 2024-2025 cycle is also a celebration of the show's legacy. SNL will honor its 50th anniversary the weekend of February 15, with a three-hour live primetime special that Sunday evening.
RELATED: Watch Jean Smart's SNL Sketches from September 28
Who is hosting Saturday Night Live's premiere?
Jean Smart. Jelly Roll will be the Musical Guest.
Saturday Night Live has announced the Hosts and Musical Guest for the first five shows:
September 28: Jean Smart with Musical Guest Jelly Roll
October 5: Nate Bargatze with Musical Guest Coldplay
October 12: Ariana Grande with Musical Guest Stevie Nicks
October 19: Michael Keaton with Musical Guest Billie Eilish
November 2: John Mulaney with Musical Guest Chappell Roan
RELATED: Saturday Night Live Is Celebrating 50 Years with a Three-Hour Primetime Special
When does SNL Season 50 premiere?
Watch Saturday Night Live's return for Season 50 at 11:30 p.m. on NBC and Peacock, streaming next day on Peacock.
SNL adds three new cast members
There'll be some new talent on the Studio 8H stage this fall, as the show's added three new Featured Players: Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline.
Ashley Padilla has been a member of L.A.'s Groundlings Main Company since 2021 (SNL luminaries like Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig and Phil Hartman all cut their teeth as Groundlings performers). She hails from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Emil Wakim is a Lebanese-American stand-up comic, actor, and writer. Per SNL's bio, Wakim was a New Face of Comedy at the 2022 Just for Laughs Comedy Festival.
And Wakim's no stranger to 30 Rockefeller Center: He performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2022. Born in Chicago, Wakim was raised in the Midwest, largely in Bloomington, Indiana.
Jane Wickline is a sketch performer who'll be familiar if you've seen Tik Tok's live "Stapleview" comedy show. Wickline is from Los Angeles.
The multi-talented comedian also plays a mean trumpet, per a 2020 post from her Instagram.
RELATED: Why the First Saturday Night Live Cast Were Called The Not Ready for Prime Time Players
While Season 49 cast members Chloe Troast, Molly Kearney, and Punkie Johnson are not returning for Season 50, Marcello Hernández, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker have been promoted to Repertory Player status.
How to watch the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary special
SNL will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a weekend-long look back at the late-night sketch series, culminating in a three-hour live primetime special. The program will air Sunday, February 16, 2025 from 8-11 p.m. E.T. on NBC.
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 closed out its 49th season back in May 2024 with a three-week run of new episodes hosted by Dua Lipa, Maya Rudolph, and Jake Gyllenhaal. It was the #1 entertainment series across broadcast and cable in the 18-49 demo.
Saturday Night Live's 2024 Emmy nominations
Saturday Night Live was nominated for 18 Emmys, including Outstanding Scripted Variety Series. SNL cast members and Hosts also received recognition for standout work, with Bowen Yang nominated for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Maya Rudolph snagged a nod in Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her hosting gig on May 11, and Kristen Wiig was nominated in the same category for her April 6 episode.
April 13 Host Ryan Gosling received a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
SNL's excellent BTS content earned recognition as well, with its digital "Saturday Night Live Presents: Behind The Sketch" earning a nom for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series.
RELATED: Saturday Night Live Just Won Big at the Emmys — Especially for Ryan Gosling's Episode
How many episodes are in a season of SNL?
With few exceptions over the years, Saturday Night Live seasons run between 18-22 episodes a season.
Originally published Sep 10, 2024.
