New cast members will bring new life to “Saturday Night Live.”
Lorne Michaels, the sketch-comedy show’s creator and producer, said at least four new cast members will be added for the upcoming 48th season.
“This will be a transition year, and the change years are always difficult but also really exciting because there’s new people and things are changing and a different generation comes into the show,” Michaels told reporters backstage at the Emmy Awards on Monday, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“There are four new people,” Michaels said. “At least for now.”
Season 48 of “SNL” premieres Oct. 1 on NBC, which hasn’t announced any of the new cast members.
Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, Kyle Mooney and Aidy Bryant each ended their tenures with the show after the Season 47 finale earlier this year.
Michaels suggested Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic could be responsible for why so many people left at once.
“I think people might’ve left earlier, but there was no place to go, and also, we were used to doing it, and we were under pressure to do it,” Michaels said.
“Saturday Night Live” won the Emmy for outstanding variety sketch series during Monday’s ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, which was hosted by “SNL” veteran Kenan Thompson.
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