JUST IN: SNL Cancels Live Audience and Musical Guest Charlie XCX, Limits Cast After Reported Internal Covid Outbreak

Kipp JonesDec 18th, 2021, 5:38 pm
 

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live has asked audience members to stay home and will limit the number of cast and crew members for tonight’s show, following a reported internal outbreak of Covid-19 cases.

The NBC show’s Twitter account broke the news Saturday afternoon after New York this week saw a record of reported Covid cases. The show tweeted, “Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the show will have limited cast and crew.”

In a pair of follow-up tweets, the account also added, “The show continues to follow all government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorous testing protocol. If you have won tickets to this show, you will be receiving more information soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

The New York Post reported Saturday that a source said SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels tested positive for Covid, but another source disputed that.

“Weekend Update” anchor Colin Jost and cast members Aristotle Athari and Sarah Sherman tested positive, which led several other cast members to call out of work, the Post reported.

The Post added that while people on the show are “fearful,” cancelling tonight’s episode was apparently never an option.

Paul Rudd will host tonight’s episode which will feature musical guest Charli XCX.

UPDATE 6:20 p.m.: Musical guest Charli XCX announced on Twitter that she will not be performing on SNL this evening.

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