actor paul rudd, People’s Sexiest Man Alive of 2021, was scheduled to join the five-timer club on Saturday Night Live, but the growing Omicron version of the coronavirus meant there wouldn’t be a live audience to watch it.
The long-running sketch comedy show announced on social media Saturday afternoon that the night’s episode will take place without a live audience and with only a limited cast and crew, “due to the recent spike in the Omicron version and an abundance of caution”.
star of rudd, ant-man and other movies and A famous fan of the Guardian, was the host, returning to Studio 8H for the fifth time – a milestone generally greeted with much fanfare. British pop star Charli XCX was the musical guest on the last announced episode of the year.
It was unclear which actors would appear on the show, which usually features dress rehearsals at 8 p.m. followed by a live show taping at 11.30 p.m.
The show returned for its 47th year in September with 16 cast members and five featured players, a crowded field. The size of the cast has allowed flexibility for high-profile members, who can take time off for other projects.
The show said on social media that those who have won tickets for the night show will get more information soon.
This is the first time the Lorne Michaels-produced show has had to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic. The virus outbreak halted its 45th season for almost a month, but SNL was back on the air by mid-April with a “quarantine edition” hosted by Tom Hanks.
The show returned to 30 Rockefeller Center for its 46th season after enforcing COVID-19 protocols, but dropped singer Morgan Wallen from the second episode for breaking the rules. Just last month, British singer Ed Sheeran had to perform from home after contracting coronavirus.
New York state reported Saturday that nearly 22,000 people tested positive for Covid on Friday – eclipsing the previous day’s highest single-day mark for new cases since testing became widely available.
More than half of the positive results came in the city. Omicron is expected to become the dominant coronavirus variant in several countries within weeks.
Other live shows in New York have been ravaged by the recent boom, forcing many Broadway stages to go dark. Mayor Bill de Blasio Weeks declared Omicron “in full force” in New York, snuffing out holiday mainstays such as the Rockets Christmas show and threatening others.