Saturday Night Live returns this week with a new format

Saturday Night Live is set to broadcast its first episode since going on hiatus due to COVID-19.

The long wait for Saturday Night Live fans is finally over. The sketch show is joining other late night shows in returning to the air, albeit with a very different format.

Slowly but surely, late night programs like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah have overcome social distancing and quarantining to produce shows. These “at-home” editions of the shows have been very popular among fans eager for a distraction and a comedic perspective on the current state of affairs.

Saturday Night Live‘s unique nature, including an ensemble cast, need for a live audience, and large crew, made it very difficult to go on as scheduled. But according to a new report, a solution has been found and the show will air at 11:30 PM ET on Saturday, April 11.

The episode will be filmed and produced remotely, featuring original content from cast members. “Weekend Update” is expected to play a major role considering the relatively few challenges associated with producing the recurring segment.

Fans haven’t seen Saturday Night Live since the March 7 episode hosted by Daniel Craig. A two-week break was already on the calendar and SNL was set to return on March 28 with host John Krasinski. But restrictions on large gatherings put the show, and the rest of the world, on hold.

The show’s Instagram page had been sharing original content from cast members like Ego Nwodim, Melissa Villasenor, and Chloe Fineman. Other cast members, like Kyle Monney, have also been using social media to stay creative. Now they will be called on to bring those ideas to air as Saturday Night Live returns to NBC.

How do you think this episode of Saturday Night Live will go? Are you excited, skeptical, or both? Let us know in the comment section below and keep checking Last Night On for more on SNL and the rest of late night television.