Saturday Night Live (SNL) will be back this weekend, but instead of taking place in front of a live studio audience at Studio 8H, the show will be broadcast remotely.
The show will air at its regular time at 8:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 11, according to NBC News.
‼️ This Saturday ‼️#SNLAtHome pic.twitter.com/JT62ELvmsW
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) April 9, 2020
Fans can expect a new Weekend Update as well as other new content from cast members, although no other skits are confirmed.
Tom Hanks may even make an appearance in Saturday’s remote episode, according to a tweet from NBC News reporter Dylan Byers, although NBC hasn’t confirmed anything. Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were the first major celebrities to test positive for coronavirus. Both have since recovered.
We’ve reached out to NBC to find out more details about this weekend’s SNL show, and we will update this story when we hear back.
SNL hasn’t had a new episode since March 7, which seems like an entirely different world from what we live in now. It will be interesting to see how the show holds up remotely since it’s always taken place with the help of professionally built sets and backdrops and the high energy of a live audience.
Other live late-night shows have also gone remote since the coronavirus pandemic has forced people to work from home and practice strict social distancing protocols to reduce the spread of the deadly disease, officially known as COVID-19.
Trevor Noah now interviews his The Daily Show guests from his living room, and both Conan O’Brien and Stephen Colbert host their talk show from home.
Even concerts have gone virtual as musicians have taken to Instagram or Facebook Live to play at-home concerts for their fans at a safe distance.
