Olivia Dean Takes the Spotlight as Tonight’s ‘SNL’ Musical Guest
So tonight’s “Saturday Night Live” episode is shaping up to be one of those shows people talk about for a while. Glen Powell is stepping onto the SNL stage as a first-time host, and his path to getting here has been anything but straightforward. What’s funny is that his hosting debut was actually supposed to happen four years ago—way back when “Top Gun: Maverick” was gearing up for its original release. He shared how that moment had been celebrated on his family’s porch, and just by chance, a UPS driver delivering a package wandered into the celebration. Powell told him, proudly, to tune in because he’d be hosting the Christmas episode. They even took a selfie to commemorate the moment. But then the pandemic hit. The movie got delayed, and suddenly Powell’s hosting gig was gone. He joked that Lorne Michaels told him flat-out, “Without ‘Top Gun,’ no one will know who the eff you are.” So for years, this poor UPS driver—Mitch—was probably out there thinking Powell had made the whole thing up. And Powell absolutely leaned into that during his monologue tonight. He revealed the original selfie onstage, explaining how this promise had haunted him for four years. Once he finally got the second call to host, he and his family went on a mission. His sisters tracked down Mitch—because as Powell joked, the women in his family are terrifying when they decide to find someone. They contacted him, flew him to New York, and brought him into Studio 8H to witness the moment himself. And then Powell invited Mitch onto the stage for a fresh selfie, bringing that whole story full circle. It was one of those genuinely warm, funny SNL moments that feel almost scripted, except it wasn’t. And of course, the musical guest tonight is English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, who’s bringing her soulful, modern pop presence to the show. It’s her SNL debut as well, and her set is expected to add a smooth, emotional balance to all the comedy energy. Season 51’s cast is packed as always—names like Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, Chloe Fineman, Colin Jost, Michael Che and more are returning. But there have also been some notable departures this year. Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Emil Wakim, Devon Walker and Michael Longfellow all exited ahead of the new season, which has shifted the ensemble a bit. The episode airs live tonight on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET, with next-day streaming available on Peacock. So between Glen Powell’s long-delayed hosting moment, Mitch the UPS guy turning into an unexpected cameo star, and Olivia Dean’s performances, this is one SNL night worth tuning in for.Tonight’s episode of Saturday Night Live is shaping up to be one of those fun, full-circle moments that fans love, and it all starts with a first-time host and a standout musical guest. So let me walk you through it as if we’re chatting right now.
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Actor Glen Powell is stepping onto the SNL stage for the very first time, a moment that has actually been years in the making. Powell was originally tapped to host the show about four years ago, back when the release of Top Gun: Maverick was still on track. He and his family were so excited when they got the call that they ended up celebrating right on their porch. And by total chance, a UPS driver named Mitch happened to walk into that celebration while dropping off a package. Powell told him, “Hey, tune in to the Christmas episode—I’ll be hosting!” They even took a selfie to mark the occasion.
But then the pandemic happened. The movie’s release got pushed back, and without the film, SNL decided to hold off on having Powell host. According to Powell, Lorne Michaels even told him bluntly that without Top Gun , people would have no idea who he was. So the hosting invitation disappeared, and poor Mitch—completely unknowingly—spent the next four years thinking Powell had lied to him.
Now fast-forward to tonight. Powell is finally getting his moment on the Studio 8H stage, and he decided to make it right. His sisters managed to track Mitch down—apparently with the kind of determination only family can pull off—and Powell flew him all the way to New York so he could be in the audience. Mitch apparently thought it might be some kind of scam, but he came anyway, and Powell brought him right up during the monologue to snap a brand-new selfie. It really brought the story full circle in the best way.
But alongside Powell’s hosting debut, there’s another highlight tonight: the musical guest. English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean is taking the stage, bringing her soulful sound to Season 51. It’s a big moment for her too, and fans who’ve followed her rise are excited to see what she performs live on national TV.
The show airs live on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET, and if you miss it, you can catch it the next day on Peacock. The Season 51 cast lineup is strong, with familiar faces like Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, Colin Jost, Michael Che, and Chloe Fineman, along with newcomers continuing to shape the show’s energy.
So tonight’s SNL isn’t just another episode—it’s a long-delayed promise finally fulfilled, a rising musical talent taking the spotlight, and one UPS driver getting the most unexpected shout-out of his career. Enjoy the show!
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