’SNL’ to be ‘live from New York’ again with October return to studio

NEW YORK — The lights in studio 8H will rise again Oct. 3 for the first time since the novel coronavirus forced the cast of “Saturday Night Live” into a seven-month hiatus from 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

On Thursday, the long-running late-night sketch-comedy show teased via Twitter its return to the airwaves for its 46th season.

On March 16, showrunners suspended production of “SNL,” hosting its return only three times during the pandemic-forced pause, CNN reported.

The April 11 virtual episode, titled “Saturday Night Live at Home,” was hosted by the then recently COVID-19-recovered Tom Hanks. Brad Pitt delivered the cold open for an April 25 virtual episode, and Alec Baldwin revived his U.S. President Donald Trump impersonation for the cold open of a May 9 virtual episode.

Meanwhile, neither NBC nor 'SNL’ Executive Producer Lorne Michaels has offered any further details beyond the 11:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 3 timeslot.

“'SNL' has for decades relied on performances done in front of a live, in-studio crowd that is seeing the material for the first time, and cast members often feed off of the reaction,” Variety reported.

At least two other NBC late-night productions, both led by “SNL” alums, have already returned to 30 Rock.

According to Variety, “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” resumed studio episodes in mid-July minus an in-studio audience or live guest celebrities. Likewise, “Late Night with Seth Meyers” returned to the studio this week, the entertainment news site reported.

Cox Media Group