Pete Davidson Hosting Saturday Night Live Season 49 Premiere

Pete Davidson is getting to host Saturday Night Live after all. The comedian was initially supposed to make his hosting debut at Studio 8H last season, but his episode was canceled because of the Writers Guild of America strike. Now that the strike is over, Lorne Michaels and company are bringing Davidson back for the first episode of Season 49. That episode is set to air on Saturday, October 14th and will feature Ice Spice as musical guest.

It’s Davidson’s first time back at 30 Rock after having appeared on the live-sketch comedy for eight years. He still holds the record for being the youngest cast member to join the series after joining the cast at just 21 years of age. He departed the show after 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”

When is Lorne Michaels leaving SNL?

Many have thought Michaels may leave the show with its upcoming Season 50, which is set to debut in the fall of 2024. The rumors gained enough steam, SNL mainstay Kenan Thompson addressed them last year by agreeing the time could be a good point to stop the show.

“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.”

Virtually every SNL episode, other than the select few locked away for good because of a variety of reasons, is now available to watch on Peacock. You can sign up for the streaming platform here.