'SNL' Alum Returns to Host Next New Episode

By Alyssa Fikse

Will Forte is heading back to Saturday Night Live. The comedian was a cast member from 2002 until 2010, but the Jan. 22 episode will be his first time serving as host. While The Last Man on Earth star has cameoed on the show several times since he left, he hasn't hit the 30 Rock stage since 2016. Forte will be hosting alongside musical guest Måneskin.

Forte shared the exciting news on social media ahead of the hosting gig. "This is about as exciting as it gets. Thanks [SNL] – can't wait for Saturday," Forte tweeted. Forte is currently starring in Peacock's MacGruber series, and in a December interview with PopCulture.com, he said that  he and MacGruber co-creators Jorma Taccone and John Solomon will "always want to keep doing this until we're in the grave."

Forte explained that they "certainly will never say that it's MacGruber's swan song" but clarified that it's "kind of out of our hands. It's more just, if somebody will let us continue making them, because we love up working with each other. We're like brothers." He then praised his two MacGruber co-stars Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe, saying, "They feel like family in the same way. And it's just really fun to do it. And then we got to introduce a bunch of new people to the series." Forte later added, "Hey, we'll keep going as long as they'll let us, but we're excited for people to see it. It feels very much like it's in the same tone as the movie and...I think people who did like the movie will enjoy this.

Forte admitted that "we're hoping other people like it too, but our first order of business was, let's make sure that we do something that people who like the" MacGruber movie, from 2010. When working out the show's direction, Forte says that he, Taccone, and Solomon said to themselves, "Let's not try to shoot for a bigger audience. Let's just stay true to the MacGruber template that we created from the movie. And if we can pull other people in, then great. But if not, as long as we make sure that we ourselves like it and are proud of it and that people who did like the movie like it, then we'll have done our job."

Forte also said that the creative team behind MacGruber is very "happy with how it turned out," even if "there are little things" here and there that they didn't get to capture exactly the way they wanted. "It was a very ambitious production schedule, and we couldn't get all the fun and fancy shots that would've made it even cooler, but we're pretty excited for people to see it," he said. "We're proud of it. And I have a feeling that people who liked the movie will like this series as well. It's the same disgusting story. It's fun."

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