SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center:'SNL' announces return for Season 49. See who's hosting, and when

"Saturday Night Live" is SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Centercoming back to studio 8H for its 49th season amid the continued Hollywood actors' strike.

The NBC sketch comedy show announced its return Wednesday. The new season will kick off Oct. 14 with Pete Davidson as host and Ice Spice as the musical guest. The following week on Oct. 21, Bad Bunny will serve as both host and musical guest.

The only new face this season will be featured player Chloe Troast, with the cast of Season 48 slated to return.

The Oct. 14 episode will be "SNL's" first since dual writers' and actors' strikes put a halt on TV and film productions. "SNL" joins other late-night TV shows, such as "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," which returned this week after the Writers Guild of America and movie studios reached a tentative agreement on Sept. 24 to end the WGA strike, which lasted nearly five months.

Why 'SNL' can film during the SAG-AFTRA strike

For those wondering why "SNL" can return while SAG-AFTRA remains on strike, the union said in a statement Wednesday that "members appearing on Saturday Night Live either as hosts, guests or cast members are working under the Network Code agreement, which is not a contract we are striking."

"They are not in violation of SAG-AFTRA strike rules, and we support them in fulfilling their contractual obligations," the statement read.

The Hollywood actors' strike is nearing the three-month mark, while the screenwriters' strike officially ended Sept. 27.

"The program is a SAG-AFTRA non-dramatic production under a separate agreement that is not subject to the union’s strike order," the statement reads. "The majority of our members who are regular cast on Saturday Night Live had contractual obligations to the show prior to the strike. Many are under option agreements that require them to return to the show if the producers exercise their option which the producers have done."

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