NBC is bringing a late-night institution to primetime with a four-episode order forSaturday Night Live: Weekend Update, which joins the schedule starting Thursday, Aug. 10 at 9 p.m. The half-hour telecast will featureWeekend UpdateanchorsColin JostandMichael Che. AdditionalSaturday Night Livecast members will also make appearances. Here’s whatRobert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment, had to say in a statement about the new series.
“SNLis having its best season in a quarter of a century. How many shows can say that?! So we didn’t want them to take the summer off. We’re thrilled to haveColin JostandMichael Checontinuing their unique brand of news with freshWeekend Updateshows in primetime this August.”
Weekend Update, which comments on and satirizes the news and current affairs of the week, has consistently ranked as one of the most popular segments ofNBC’sSaturday Night Livethroughout the show’s storied 42-year history. Previous “Weekend Update” anchors includeChevy Chase,Dan Aykroyd,Jane Curtin,Dennis Miller,Norm Macdonald,Jimmy Fallon,Tina Fey,Amy PoehlerandSeth Meyers.
So far this season,Saturday Night Liveoriginals are averaging a 3.57 rating in adults 18-49 and 11.022 million viewers overall in “live plus seven day” averages from Nielsen Media Research. This makes itSNL’s top-rated seasonat this point in eight years in 18-49 (since 2008-09) and most-watched season in 24 years (since 1992-93). Versus year-ago averages,SNLis up +21% in adult 18-49 rating (3.57 vs. 2.94) and up 2.2 million persons or +26% in total viewers with 11.022 million.
SNLhas won 53 Emmy Awards, the most for any show in television history.SNLalso holds the title for the most nominated television show in Emmy history with 219 nominations.SNLhas been honored twice, in 1990 and 2009, with the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award and cited as “truly a national institution.“Saturday Night Livewas inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame by the National Association of Broadcasters.Saturday Night Livewill go on another brief hiatus for the next three weeks, returning with an all new episode on April 8, hosted byLouis C.K.with musical guestThe Chainsmokers.
