I would say we're finally in the home stretch of the season, but that's not exactly accurate. SNL is giving us one more episode this month, which will be hosted by Colman Domingo. Afterwards, it'll go on another extended break and then it'll be back in early May for the final three episodes of the season.
Fortunately, what's ahead is extremely exciting and worth the wait. SNL is giving us a huge range of hosts that should produce episodes that are very different in tone and subject matter. It'll also be the show's last chance to evaluate the current cast and figure out what changes need to be made ahead of next season.
Most fans seem to agree the current cast is really clicking. Ashley Padilla also seems to be really breaking out as the show's next buzzy star, but the show always prefers to make tweaks to alter the chemistry a bit so each season is different. There's also a chance some longtime cast members could leave, with Kenan Thompson, Colin Jost and Michael Che the three everyone seems to look at each off season.
Regardless, I'm just going to enjoy the last four episodes and then we can worry about the rest this summer. Here's a look at what is ahead...
Saturday Night Live Season 51 Hosts and Musical Guests
April 11th, 2026 - Colman Domingo
Date: April 11th
Host: Colman Domingo
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: Anitta
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 0
YES! This is the type of inspired first time host pick I love to see. Colman Domingo has really been having a moment over the last few years. He's been nominated for Oscars, Tonys and Emmys for playing a wide variety of characters, and he's repeatedly shown he's got fantastic comedic timing. That last part shouldn't come as a surprise given he was a main cast member of The Big Gay Sketch Show, which notably also featured future SNL legend Kate McKinnon.
I'm particularly stoked to see the wide variety of sketches we'll probably get. Domingo is able to go really over the top and big, as we saw in The Running Man, but he's also able to go much smaller and more grounded, as we saw in something like Sing Sing. Throw in his theater background, and it should produce an episode that is all over map in its tone, which is what I look for.
May 2nd, 2026 - Olivia Rodrigo
Date: May 2nd
Host: Olivia Rodrigo
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: Olivia Rodrigo
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 2
Olivia Rodrigo has been a musical guest twice before. She's never hosted, but her song "Drivers License" was the subject of a really fun sketch a few years ago when Regé-Jean Page had his turn. It involved a large group of dudes bonding over the song while they were trying to play pool. It's a lot of fun and worth checking out if you haven't seen it before.
With a lot of combination musical guests and hosts, there's a fear that they won't be able to pull off the acting portion. Fortunately, Rodrigo has plenty of experience acting, given her history with High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, as well as Bizaardvark. That being said, expect at least a few sketches that lean into singing and/ or performing.
May 9th - Matt Damon
Date: May 9th
Host: Matt Damon
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 2
Musical Guest: Noah Kahan
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 2
To be honest, I did a quick doubletake a second ago when I looked up how many times Damon has hosted before. I would have thought he was in the Five-Timers Club by now, but it turns out four of his appearances have actually just been cameos where he appeared in a monologue or on a random sketch. He's also obviously done a lot of late night appearances over the years as part of his long-running feud with Jimmy Kimmel.
Unlike Rodrigo and Ferrell who are bookending Damon's appearance, he's more known for playing more relatable and more reserved characters. That doesn't mean he won't get weird (see EuroTrip), but I expect this episode to be a bit more grounded and include more sketches that comment on everyday life. We may also get some fun celebrity impressions, given we know he's got a Matthew McConaughey in his arsenal.
May 16th - Will Ferrell
Date: May 16th
Host: Will Ferrell
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 5
Musical Guest: Paul McCartney
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 4
Now this is a season finale. SNL has had a ton of breakout stars over the last fifty years, but you could make a strong case that no one since the mid-90s has had a bigger cultural impact than Will Ferrell. He dominated his time as a cast member, appearing in a ton of sketches, including many of the most revered of all time. He then went to Hollywood and ripped off a series of classic comedies. He periodically returns to host, and those episodes are always highly anticipated and often produce some of the best sketches of the season.
McCartney is, of course, no stranger to SNL either. He's been an official musical guest four times in the past but has also made several random appearances. He's friends with longtime showrunner Lorne Michaels in real life and was the subject of one of the show's first breakout sketches when Michaels offered The Beatles a grand total of $4,000 to reunite.
Hosts And Musical Guests That Already Had Their Turn
April 4th, 2026 - Jack Black
Date: April 4th
Host: Jack Black
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 4
Musical Guest: Jack White
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 5
Beloved comedian Jack Black returned to Studio 8H in early April and was inducted into the Five-Timers Club. He was great, as per usual and dropped one sketch with Melissa McCarthy that will haunt my dreams for years to come. He also played some fun buttoned-up characters too, including one office worker who could not handle Ashley Padilla's annoying co-worker who kept trying to butt into his conversation.
Jack White was also fantastic, as per usual. He even made appearances in multiple sketches, including the Five-Timers Club bit and in a country song parody, where he hilariously forgot his guitar solo and walked off.
March 14th, 2026 - Harry Styles
Date: March 14th
Host: Harry Styles
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 1
Musical Guest: Also Harry Styles
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 5
Can you believe it had been seven years since Harry Styles was an announced guest on SNL? It didn't feel that long since he made two cameos during the gap, but once upon a time, it looked like he'd be a recurring fixture, given he was the musical guest in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017 and pulled double duty in 2019. He's still in his early 30s though; so, there's a good chance we end up getting a combined 10 hosting and musical guest stints from him before he's done.
Regardless, this episode was a blast. He dove into some really weird characters, my favorite being a European cruise director, and he also wasn't above making fun of himself, both during his monologue and in random sketches.
March 7th, 2026 - Ryan Gosling
Date: March 7th
Host: Ryan Gosling
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 3
Musical Guest: Gorillaz
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 0
Gosling was, of course, great in his fourth stint as SNL host. This time, the show really leaned into his habit of breaking during sketches and dropped a vicious prank on him and Ashley Padilla where they changed the contents of notes they had to read in between dress rehearsal and the live show. Not surprisingly, they had some issues holding it together.
We also got a ton of other outrageous sketches including one where Ryan Gosling played a creepy guy who wouldn't stop clinking his glass at a wedding and another where he played a cyclops. I'll also shout out Colin Jost who roasted people sitting in the front row during Weekend Update over their over the top reaction to a Heated Rivalry joke.
February 28th, 2026 - Connor Storrie
Date: February 28th
Host: Connor Storrie
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: Mumford & Sons
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 3 (Plus a cameo)
What a run for Connor Storrie! With only fifteen total IMDB credits on his resume, he went from acting in short films and playing bit parts to being a huge breakout star thanks to his much-hyped performance in Heated Rivalry.
For most actors, SNL is a chance to have some fun, but for Storrie, it was a chance to show off the full range of what he can do. I particularly loved a bachelor party ice skating excursion where everyone was having way too much fun and an injured stripper with way too much commitment to his job. Fingers crossed we get to see him again down the road.
January 31, 2026 - Alexander Skarsgård
Date: January 31st
Host: Alexander Skarsgård
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: Cardi B
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 1
As crazy as this may sound, that was Alexander Skarsgård's first time hosting Saturday Night Live. Thankfully, he was a natural. The show had him leaning into his rugged handsomeness with sketches where he played the likes of Tarzan, but it also gave him a chance to play more traditional, family dynamic characters. We even got a fun cameo from his Oscar-nominated father. Given how much his career is rolling, it's likely we'll see the popular actor back on the 30 Rock stage at some point.
I also want to shout out Sarah Sherman, who gave one of SNL's most fun moments this season when, during a sketch playing a weather girl, she yelled at the audience for not making woo noises when she revealed her dress. Classic.
January 24, 2026 - Teyana Taylor
Date: January 24th
Host: Teyana Taylor
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: Geese
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 0
Teyena Taylor can officially add SNL host to her lengthy resume that now, as of recently, also includes Oscar nominee. The One Battle After Another actress rocked her debut at Studio 8H in a performance that was very well received by fans.
It shouldn't be a surprise given she's done plenty of comedy in the past and has the aura and presence you typically need to care a sketch comedy bit... or, you know, an elaborate dance showcase like the one she busted out during her appearance.
January 17th, 2026 - Finn Wolfhard
Date: January 17th
Host: Finn Wolfhard
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 1
Musical Guest: A$AP Rocky
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 1
Coming off the fifth and final season of Netflix's incredibly popular Stranger Things, series star Finn Wolfhard tried his hand at sketch comedy. To the surprise of no one, the young actor killed it. From the hilarious and heartwarming opening monologue with co-stars Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo (they also later appeared in a wild pre-taped segment) to that outrageous Harry Potter/Heated Rivalry parody, Wolfhard did a little bit of everything.
The first episode of the new year also featured two dynamic performances by A$AP Rocky, who gave audiences a raucous and destructive take on "Punk Rocky" followed by a mash-up of "Don't Be Dumb" and "Helicopter."
December 20th, 2025 - Ariana Grande
Date: December 20th
Host: Ariana Grande
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 2
Musical Guest: Cher
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 1
Both Grande and Cher have a long history with SNL. Both women have been impersonated multiple times by multiple cast members, and they've each made appearances as themselves before. Grande has been strictly the musical guest twice, strictly the host once and simultaneously the host and musical guest once. Cher was the musical guest all the way back in 1987, which has to be up near the top for longest gaps between appearances.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, she was fantastic again. Several sketches she was involved in went super viral, including a reimagining of the Home Alone ending that's a hard R-rating. Given how much her career is rolling, it would be a shock not to see her back and a shock not to see her eventually join the 5-Timers Club.
December 13th, 2025 - Josh O'Connor
Date: December 13th
Host: Josh O'Connor
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: Lily Allen
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 1
British actor Josh O'Connor might not be the most famous movie star hitting up Studio 8H this season, but I absolutely love the pick. The Emmy winner has been fantastic in a huge variety of projects, from The Crown to The Durrells to Challengers, and it was nice to see him bring a very different and less traditionally comedic energy to Studio 8H.
He was clearly elated to be there, and he jumped into a wide variety of goofy sketches, some of which involved making out with his fellow cast members.
December 6th, 2025 - Melissa McCarthy
Date: December 6th
Host: Melissa McCarthy
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 5
Musical Guest: Dijon
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 0
Not only is Melissa McCarthy in SNL's esteemed 5 Timers Club, she's also in a select club of having made double digit appearances on the show thanks to her run of cameos as former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. Those appearances after President Trump's first election are probably the most famous in her SNL career, but they're not the reason she keeps getting invited back.
She keeps getting invited back because she can do a wide variety of types of comedy, and she's up for doing anything. She proved that again this time with sketches that touched on everything from awkward sadness to Chris Farley-like physical comedy. Fingers crossed we see her back again sometime over the next few seasons.
November 15th, 2025 - Glen Powell
Date: November 15th
Host: Glen Powell
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: Olivia Dean
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 0
Glen Powell had already cameoed during Sydney Sweeney's gig, but it was fantastic to see him as the full-blown host. Many fans called his episode the best of the season so far, and there's already speculation about when he might come back to host the show again. It helps that his episode attracted a ton of headlines, both because of a surprise MacGruber cameo and because Powell himself brought out a surprise guest.
Apparently Powell was first contacted to host SNL all the way back in 2021. He agreed and excitedly celebrated with his family and a UPS driver who happened to be delivering a package at the time. Unfortunately, it fell through after Top Gun got delayed; so, when he got the chance to host again, his family tracked down the UPS driver and brought him with them. Just a hilarious and heart-warming story.
November 8th, 2025 - Nikki Glaser
Date: November 8th
Host: Nikki Glaser
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 0
Musical Guest: sombr
# Of Previous Musical Appearances: 0
Nikki Glaser has been well known in the stand-up community for more than a decade, but over the past few years, she's started to break out into the mainstream. Her appearance at Tom Brady's Roast was very well-received, and earlier this year, she hosted The Golden Globe Awards.
SNL marked perhaps the biggest moment of her career and hopefully the start of an increase in stand-up comedians. The show has always focused more on bringing in movies and TV stars and even pop culture figures and athletes, but stand-up comedians can bring an entirely different dynamic. Hopefully we get to see Glaser again, as well as more stand-ups in general.
November 1st, 2025 - Miles Teller
Date: November 1st
Host: Miles Teller
# Of Previous Hosting Appearances: 1
Musical Guest: Brandi Carlile
# Of Previous SNL Musical Appearances: 3
Miles Teller went a few years between SNL hosting gigs, but if his career keeps rolling, it's hard to imagine the show keeping him away for that long again. He once again proved he can be really funny in a silly way, and he's obviously good at providing a more subdued straight man to the louder and more obnoxious cast members.
October 18, 2025 - Sabrina Carpenter
Date: October 18, 2025
Host and Musical Guest: Sabrina Carpenter
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 0 + 1 Musical Performance
Sabrina Carpenter joined decorated list of musicians who’ve pulled double-duty on Saturday Night Live when she hosted and served as the musical performer on the October 18, 2025, episode. Not surprisingly, she was fantastic and generated a ton of headlines for both her musical performances and her outrageous sketches.
October 11, 2025 - Amy Poehler & Role Model
Date: October 11, 2025
Host: Amy Poehler
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 2
Musical Guest: Role Model
# Of Previous SNL Performances: 0
Saturday Night Live alum Amy Poehler returned to host the iconic sketch show for the third time when she headlines the second episode of Season 51. A member of the SNL cast from 2001 to 2008, Poehler has returned countless times over the years, with her most recent appearance before this taking place during the Saturday Night Live 50 celebration back in February. Not surprisingly, she was fantastic, as per usual.
October 4, 2025 - Bad Bunny & Doja Cat
Date: October 4, 2025
Host: Bad Bunny
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 1 + 3 Musical Performances
Musical Guest: Doja Cat
# Of Previous SNL Performances: 0
Rapper/actor/wrestler Bad Bunny hosted Saturday Night Live for the second time (he also has three other appearances as the musical guest) during the premiere episode of Season 51 on October 4, 2025. The Happy Gilmore 2 star previously hosted an episode back in 2023, which also featured Mick Jagger and Pedro Pascal in memorable cameos. It was Doja Cat's first performance at Studio 8H.
The Saturday Night Live Season 51 Cast
Saturday Night Live is welcoming a bunch of new faces this fall to NBC (and Peacock). Nearly a half-dozen new featured players officially joined the ranks of longtime cast members like Mikey Day, Bowen Yang, and Kenan Thompson, when the show debuted last week. The new additions to the cast include standup comics, TikTok stars, and even one-third of the Please Don’t Destroy team.
Below is a full list of everyone you’ll be watching on Saturday Night Live this season. Please note that all new cast members are in bold.
- Michael Che
- Mikey Day
- Andrew Dismukes
- Chloe Fineman
- Marcello Hernandez
- James Austin Johnson
- Colin Jost
- Sarah Sherman
- Kenan Thompson
- Bowen Yang
- Tommy Brennan
- Jeremy Culhane
- Ben Marshall
- Ashley Padilla
- Kam Patterson
- Veronika Slowikowska
- Jane Wickline
SNL Cast Members Not Returning After Season 50
Not long after Saturday Night Live head honcho Lorne Michaels announced there would be a shakeup ahead of Season 51, the departures started to trickle in. After not letting go of anyone on the cast (both repertory members and featured players), the long-running sketch comedy show let go of some major talent in the lead-up to the season premiere.
In August 2025, the first departure was announced when it was revealed that Devon Walker wouldn’t be returning after three years on the show. We didn’t have long to let the news sink in before other members of the cast started announcing they weren’t coming back, starting with Emil Wakim, and then followed by the departure of Michael Longfellow. The biggest shock came days later when it was announced that longtime fan-favorite Heidi Gardner would not be coming back after nearly a decade of making audiences laugh week in and week out. Not long after that, Ego Nwodim revealed she had left the show after seven seasons.
That is as far as we know, for now, for SNL Season 51. However, this will change when Lorne Michaels and company start announcing additional hosts and musical guests that’ll appear later in the season.
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