‘SNL’ Unveils First-Time Hosts for New Season
Newcomers include a sports sensation and a horror film breakout.
Katie Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Saturday Night Live announced that it will count New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson among its first-time hosts for Season 52.
Fresh off leading the New York Knicks to an NBA championship and earning Finals MVP honors in June, Brunson will host the show’s season premiere with musical guest pop girl group Katseye on Sept. 26, according to The New York Times. Another first-time host, Obsession breakout Inde Navarrette, will host the show’s Halloween episode with musical guest Gracie Abrams.
Brunson, dubbed the "King of New York" following his championship win with the New York Knicks, will host the Season's premiere episode.
Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for W+P
Three-timers Dakota Johnson and Shane Gillis will return Oct. 3 and Oct. 10, respectively. Johnson will be joined by the rock band Turnstile, and Gillis by singer Rosalía.
Navarrette stars in the horror hit "Obsession."
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Activision/Call
Gillis was announced as part of the SNL cast in 2019, but was canned when offensive remarks he’d made on his podcast came to light. He later became a symbol of anti-political-correctness comedians in step with Joe Rogan, but surprised some fans last month when he told Rogan that he did not vote for Donald Trump.
Johnson previously hosted the show in 2015 and 2024.
NBC/screengrab
His recruitment at SNL coincided with show boss Lorne Michaels’ attempts to draw more viewers from both sides of the political aisle.
Gillis will host the show for the third time after he was fired from the cast before he could appear on screen in 2019.
Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
Major shakeups have hit the show since then, particularly following Season 50, which saw the exodus of several cast favorites, including Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim.
More shock exits would follow, including Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman’s. This week, Martin Herlihy, one-third of the show’s comedy troupe “Please Don’t Destroy,” announced his exit from the long-running series after five seasons.
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