Pete Davidson Moves Into the Saturday Night Live Studio for First Episode Since Writers' Strike Ended

Now that the WGA strike has ended, Saturday Night Live is returning for its 49th season. It was announced last week that former SNL cast member Pete Davidson will be hosting the season premiere. Davidson was initially supposed to host last season, but the episode was canceled due to the strike. Today, a new promo for the sketch series sees Davidson living in Studio 8H. When confronted by cast members Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman, Davidson explains he's been living at SNL's home base while his apartment undergoes construction. When told only cast members and hosts can be there, Davidson replies, "Okay, I'll do that."

"Pete Davidson hosts Saturday Night Live on October 14, 2023, with musical guest Ice Spice," SNL captioned the promo video on YouTube. You can check out the video below:

Pete Davidson on Leaving SNL:

Davidson's hosting duties will mark the comedian's first time back on SNL after being on the series for eight years. After all this time, Davidson still holds the record for being the youngest cast member to join the series. He started at age 21 and left the show when he was 28 when Season 47 wrapped in 2022.

"I got to share so much with this audience and literally grow up in front of your eyes," Davidson previously wrote of his SNL exit. "We were together through the good and the bad, the happiest and the darkest of times. I owe Lorne Michaels and everyone at SNL my life. Im so grateful and I wouldn't be here without them. I appreciate you guys always having my back and sticking up for me even when that wasn't the popular opinion. Thank you for always believing in me and sticking by my side even when it seemed comical. Thank you for teaching me life values, how to grow up and for giving me memories that will last a lifetime. SNL is my home. I'm so happy and sad about tonight's show. For so many reasons I can't explain. Can't wait to be back next year in a Mulaney musical number. ⁃ Resident young person Pete Davidson"

Is Lorne Michaels Leaving SNL?

It's been speculated that SNL creator Lorne Michaels would leave the show after its upcoming Season 50, which will begin in the fall of 2024. Recently, longtime SNL cast member Kenan Thompson addressed those rumors.

"I mean, there could be a lot of validity to that rumor because 50 is a good number to stop at, you know what I'm saying, that's an incredible package. [Michaels] will be, you know, probably close to 80-years-old at that point and, you know, he's the one that's had his touch on the whole thing," Kenan told Charlamagne tha God in 2022. "So if somebody tries to come into his shoes, you know it's a good opportunity for NBC as well, you know what I'm saying, so maybe they might slash the budget. And then at that point you can't really do the same kind of show, so that's unfair to just watch it really go down kind of in flames or whatever like for real for real because of those restrictions, you know what I'm saying. And it'll just be a different thing, so capping it at 50 might not be a bad idea, I don't know."

SNL returns on October 14th.