NEW YORK — Following a successful 50th anniversary celebration, “Saturday Night Live” is set to continue with exciting new episodes, featuring some well-known figures. Lady Gaga is set to take on the dual role of both host and musical guest, while Shane Gillis will return as host with Tate McRae delivering a musical performance.
Shane Gillis will grace the “SNL” stage for a second time on March 1, coinciding with Tate McRae’s promotion of her upcoming album “So Close to What,” which is scheduled for release in late February.
The week after, on March 8, Lady Gaga will return for her second stint as the host of “SNL” and her fifth time as a musical guest. The timing aligns perfectly, as her new album titled “Mayhem” will be released just a day prior.
Gillis’ relationship with the show has been complex. He was let go from the cast in 2019 before making a formal appearance due to backlash stemming from a podcast clip from 2018, in which he used a racial slur and mocked individuals’ accents. Following the incident, he issued a public apology, stating he is a “comedian who pushes boundaries.” Despite this rocky start, Gillis has found success as the star and co-creator of “Tires,” which is set to return for its second season on Netflix, and he hosted “SNL” last February.
The sketch comedy show is riding high after its 50th-anniversary celebration, which marked NBC’s highest-rated prime-time entertainment broadcast in five years, attracting close to 15 million viewers.
The spectacular 3½-hour event featured a mix of comedic sketches, exceptional musical acts, and surprise cameos, generating the largest audience for NBC’s nighttime entertainment since the 2020 Golden Globes. According to NBC, only the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has attracted a larger viewership in recent years.
The anniversary weekend kickstarted with “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” where Lady Gaga made two appearances. She filled in for Justin Timberlake, joining Andy Samberg for a Lonely Island medley featuring a host of special guests. Towards the end of the concert, she also performed her hit song “Shallow.”
