snl

SNL to Suspend Production Due to the Coronavirus

Keep your hands to yourself, everybody. Photo: NBC

Saturday Night Live is the latest television show to alter its plans owing to the coronavirus pandemic, with NBC confirming today that the late-night show will suspend production indefinitely. SNL was previously scheduled to return from hiatus on March 28 with host John Krasinski and musical guest Dua Lipa. The decision to suspend production comes not long after New York City mayor Bill de Blasio ordered all “nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues” to close by March 17 at 9 a.m.

Prior to the SNL news, most of the late-night shows announced plans last week to continue their tapings without audiences, but by the end of the weekend, all of them had changed course and decided to suspend production entirely. As THR’s report notes, SNL is currently 16 episodes into its 21-episode season and typically airs its season finale in May. Considering a handful of events originally scheduled for May have already been canceled or postponed, it remains unclear whether SNL will return with new episodes this season — or, possibly, if Daniel Craig’s episode from earlier this month ends up being the final episode until the fall.

SNL to Suspend Production Due to Coronavirus