Get All Access for $5/mo

Pete Davidson's Return to 'SNL' Canceled Amid Writer's Strike The former cast member was set to host the show on Saturday, May 6.

By Emily Rella

Getty Images
Pete Davidson attends the 2023 Met Gala.

The long-anticipated return of former "Saturday Night Live" alum Pete Davidson has been canceled due to a writer's strike.

On Tuesday, May 2, the Writer's Guild of America officially called a strike for the first time in 15 years. Though the strike could mean long-term effects for sitcoms and other series-scripted shows, it's the unscripted talk shows — i.e. all late-night shows that air the same week they're filmed — that will be impacted immediately.

RELATED: Hollywood Writers Just Announced They're on Strike: 'We're Being Devalued and Financially Taken Advantage Of.'

And that includes NBC's SNL. The show's season has been put on pause, and the first affected episode is the one that Davidson was set to host on Saturday, May 6, with musical guest Lil Uzi Vert, per Deadline.

"The previously announced 'Saturday Night Live' hosted by Pete Davidson and musical guest Lil Uzi Vert is cancelled due to the writers' strike. 'SNL' will air repeats until further notice starting Saturday, May 6," a release from the company stated, per Today.

Davidson joked on "The Tonight Show" that he was taking it personally. "It sucks because it just feeds my weird story I have in my head, like, of course, that would happen to me," he said.

Davidson served as a cast member on the show for eight seasons, before leaving in May 2022.

"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" are also on pause effective immediately.

When the last strike occurred between 2007 and 2008, "SNL" only aired 12 of its slated 21 episodes.

The WGA is protesting for a number of changes, including a higher minimum wage and more writers being hired per show.

"Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal – and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gains – the studios' responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing," the WGA said in a message to members.

It's unclear how long this strike is expected to last.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

She Had Less Than $800 When She Started a Side Hustle — Then This Personal Advice From Tony Robbins Helped Her Make $45 Million

Cathryn Lavery built planner and conversation card deck company BestSelf Co. without any formal business education.

Business News

How Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Transformed a Graphics Card Company Into an AI Giant: 'One of the Most Remarkable Business Pivots in History'

Here's how Nvidia pivoted its business to explore an emerging technology a decade in advance.

Business News

Want to Start a Business? Skip the MBA, Says Bestselling Author

Entrepreneur Josh Kaufman says that the average person with an idea can go from working a job to earning $10,000 a month running their own business — no MBA required.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.