'Saturday Night Live' returning with remotely produced TV show

[April 10, 2020]    LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sketch show "Saturday Night Live" is returning to U.S. television with a new, remotely produced show this weekend, broadcaster NBC said on Thursday.

The network said the satirical show, which shut down production in mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak, would feature original content from "Saturday Night Live" cast members, including the regular "Weekend Update" segment.

"Saturday Night Live," with its mix of topical sketches, songs and celebrity appearances, has been a cultural favorite in the United States since 1975.

NBC gave no details about who would appear on the show which will be broadcast on April 11 at its regular 11:30 pm ET (0330 GMT Sunday) time slot.

Production on "Saturday Night Live" and all other U.S. television shows and movies shut down in mid-March because of social distancing and shutdown orders aimed at containing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Several topical television shows, including daytime talk show "The Ellen Show" and late night staples "The Tonight Show" and "The Late Show," have returned in recent weeks with their hosts filming themselves from their homes and speaking with guests on social media and video platforms.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.