Is SNL New Tonight (September 26, 2026)? Musical Guest, Host, Start Time
Season 52 of the late night sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live" is nearly upon us. It feels like yesterday that "SNL" celebrated its milestone 50th anniversary, but the show has already moved on to begin the next 50 years of laughs.
You're probably wondering if there's a new "SNL" episode airing on September 26, 2026, because that's how you ended up here in the first place. Thankfully, we have all the details that you need to know about the series' latest installment, including who's hosting, who's the musical guest, and more.
Is there a new episode of SNL tonight?
Yes, there is a new episode of "SNL" airing on September 26, 2026. In fact, it's the Season 52 premiere, marking the beginning of the latest season.
The series is bringing back Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernández, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman, and Kenan Thompson as the repertory players, and they'll be joined by the recently promoted Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline (with both making the jump from featured players).
NBC
Speaking of which, the featured players will bring back Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska. They'll be joined by two new faces, Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter, with each of them making their debut on "SNL" this season. (The pair are pictured above at the "SNL" table read.)
However, you won't see Chloe Fineman or Bowen Yang returning. Fineman left "SNL" over the summer, and Yang departed in the middle of Season 51. Both are pictured with the rest of the cast above, as a new photo of the current cast hasn't been officially released yet.
Who is hosting SNL tonight?
Jalen Brunson (seen above at the "SNL" table read) is hosting the Season 52 premiere of "SNL." If you don't know who that is, you're probably not a basketball fan. Brunson is a New York Knicks point guard, fresh off his team's NBA championship victory earlier in 2026.
"SNL" usually lets one or two athletes host the show each season, often after some kind of big career milestone, but it's a bit odd for it to happen in the season premiere. But since Brunson is representing a win for NYC, it's not entirely out of the ordinary.
Who is the musical guest on SNL tonight?
Joining Jalen Brunson on "SNL" will be musical guest KATSEYE. Described as a "global girl group," the pop assembly is comprised of Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeung, all hailing from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States. Here's a taste of their music:
However, as of August 2026, both Manon and Sophia had independently announced they are taking a hiatus from the group to focus on their mental health. It's not clear if Manon and/or Sophia will return from her hiatus in order to join KATSEYE on "SNL."
Who is the SNL host and musical guest next week?
Next week, "SNL" returns with the second episode of Season 52 on October 3, 2026. That episode will be hosted by Dakota Johnson, in conjunction with the release of her movie "Verity" (which also stars Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett). This will mark Johnson's third time hosting the show. Here's one of her best sketches from the last time she hosted:
Johnson will be joined by musical guest Turnstile, the Grammy-winning American rock band. Their most recent album, "Never Enough," was released in June 2025, but August 2026 saw them debut "Never Enough: Versions," a remix album featuring the likes of Elton John, Hayley Williams, Panda Bear, Angel Dust, and many more.
In addition, we also know who will be hosting the next two episodes of "SNL" that will follow this fall:
FIRST FOUR OF SEASON 52!!! pic.twitter.com/m8F1Hnf1gS
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) September 9, 2026
- October 10, 2026 — Shane Gillis hosts with musical guest Rosalía
- October 31, 2026 — Inde Navarrette hosts with musical guest Gracie Abrams
What time does SNL start?
If you want to catch "Saturday Night Live" when it airs live, the show starts at 11:30pm ET on Saturday nights.
"SNL" is a miracle every time it happens, even if the show doesn't turn out great, because the cast and crew put together each new episode in just one week.
You can find out more about how the show is produced through a series of "SNL" documentaries available on Peacock that chronicle exactly how the show's team makes it happen over and over again.
Where can I watch SNL?
"SNL" airs on NBC when it's live, and you can catch it on Peacock at that time, too.
If you missed the live show, sketches are uploaded to the "SNL" YouTube channel not long after they air. Otherwise, you can watch the full episode on Peacock the next day.
Peacock also has a library of all the old episodes of "SNL," though it doesn't always have every sketch or musical performance due to licensing rights for songs. Don't forget, there's a new British version of "Saturday Night Live" on Peacock as well, with UK episodes becoming available on Sunday evenings the day after new episodes air.
Finally, I'd like to encourage you to check out "The Ten to One Podcast," featuring me as one of the hosts. Myself and some die-hard "SNL" fans and friends recap and review every new episode of "SNL," and there are some bonus episodes occasionally to boot.
Stay tuned for all the latest details on "SNL" every week!