SNL Sets Jalen Brunson and KATSEYE for Season 52 Premiere

Saturday Night Live is taking one more week off from new sketches before launching Season 52 with a pairing built for a New York crowd. NBC has confirmed that Knicks captain Jalen Brunson will host the September 26 premiere, with KATSEYE appearing as musical guest.

No new episode on September 19

The September 19 broadcast is not a fresh episode. NBC is using the show’s regular 11:30 p.m. ET slot to replay the Season 51 finale, hosted by Will Ferrell with Paul McCartney as musical guest. The encore serves as the bridge into next week’s live return.

When the new season begins, both featured guests will be making their SNL debuts. Brunson, one of New York basketball’s most visible figures, will move from Madison Square Garden to Studio 8H for his first hosting assignment. KATSEYE will also perform on the program for the first time.

A new season with new faces

The premiere arrives after cast changes during the offseason. Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter have joined as featured players. Belo-Osagie comes from New York’s comedy scene and has built an online following, while Reiter is an actor, writer and director whose credits include HBO’s The Chair Company.

NBC has also laid out the opening stretch of Season 52. Dakota Johnson is scheduled to host October 3 with Turnstile, followed by Shane Gillis and Rosalía on October 10. The show then returns October 31 with Inde Navarrette hosting and Gracie Abrams performing.

How to watch the premiere

The September 26 episode will air live on NBC at 11:30 p.m. Eastern, 10:30 p.m. Central and 8:30 p.m. Pacific. Peacock will carry the live broadcast, with the complete episode available on the platform afterward.

For SNL, putting Brunson at the center of opening night turns the premiere into a distinctly local event. Pairing the Knicks captain with a global pop group also gives Season 52 an immediate crossover between sports, comedy and music — three audiences the show has long used to make its first episode feel bigger than a routine return.