Lead
Ariana Grande will return to Saturday Night Live as host on Dec. 20 at Studio 8H, with Cher as the musical guest — Cher’s first SNL appearance since 1987. The show’s December run also includes Melissa McCarthy hosting Dec. 6 with musical guest Dijon, and Josh O’Connor hosting Dec. 13 with Lily Allen as musical guest. The announcements tie into promotional windows for film, music and books and mark several high-profile comebacks and cross-promotions. The line-up underscores SNL’s strategy of pairing major entertainers with timely releases.
Key Takeaways
- Ariana Grande will host SNL on Dec. 20; it will be her third time hosting and her fifth overall appearance on the program.
- Cher is scheduled as the musical guest on Dec. 20, her first time back on SNL since debuting in 1987.
- Josh O’Connor will make his SNL hosting debut on Dec. 13; Lily Allen is the musical guest that week in her second SNL appearance.
- Melissa McCarthy will host the Dec. 6 episode, her sixth time as host and first hosting appearance in more than eight years; Dijon is the musical guest.
- Ariana is promoting Wicked: For Good (in theaters Nov. 21); O’Connor appears in Wake Up Dead Man (limited Nov. 26, Netflix Dec. 12); Cher is promoting The Memoir; Lily Allen recently released West End Girl.
- The December schedule aligns SNL with awards-season promotional cycles and streaming release windows, potentially boosting viewership and cross-platform engagement.
Background
Saturday Night Live has long paired comedy hosts with musical guests to create cultural moments that coincide with release schedules for films, albums and other projects. The program’s December episodes often draw higher attention because they fall within the awards-season window and benefit from holiday viewing spikes. Booking decisions typically reflect both star availability and promotional calendars: actors with new films and musicians with new albums or tours are frequent choices.
Over the last decade SNL’s casting has mixed established stars and emerging names to maintain broad audience appeal. Hosts with prior SNL experience, like Melissa McCarthy and Ariana Grande, bring a familiarity that can translate into viral sketches. At the same time, new hosts such as Josh O’Connor offer fresh promotional hooks tied to new releases — in O’Connor’s case, a high-profile entry in the Knives Out franchise. Musical guests, from chart-topping veterans to contemporary breakout acts, are scheduled to reflect current trends and forthcoming projects.
Main Event
The Dec. 6 episode will be fronted by Melissa McCarthy with Dijon as musical guest. McCarthy, a two-time Oscar nominee who won an Emmy for hosting the show in 2017, returns to host for the sixth time and her first hosting spot in over eight years. Dijon is set to perform material from his new album Baby, aligning the episode with an active release schedule for the artist.
On Dec. 13, Josh O’Connor will make his hosting debut. O’Connor is appearing to promote Wake Up Dead Man, the third Knives Out installment, which opens in limited theaters on Nov. 26 and streams on Netflix on Dec. 12; Lily Allen will serve as the musical guest, marking her second time on SNL and supporting her fifth album, West End Girl. The timing places O’Connor’s appearance directly in the film’s streaming window, a common strategy to maximize visibility.
The Dec. 20 episode pairs Ariana Grande as host with Cher as musical guest. Grande — a Grammy winner and Oscar nominee — is starring in Wicked: For Good, which arrives in theaters on Nov. 21; the SNL date falls during the film’s early theatrical run. Cher, who has not performed on SNL since her 1987 debut, is promoting her autobiography The Memoir. The episode represents a high-profile convergence of pop music legacy and contemporary pop stardom.
Across the three December episodes, SNL’s slate mixes repeat hosts, debuting hosts and musical guests at different career stages. That balance reflects booking priorities: drive live-viewing and social buzz while supporting promotional cycles for partners in film, music and publishing.
Analysis & Implications
Pairing headline talent with release-driven promotion is a longstanding SNL tactic; the December schedule underscores how the show remains a valuable platform for multi-platform campaigns. Ariana Grande’s hosting on Dec. 20 positions the show to capture both her pop audience and broader film-going viewers interested in Wicked: For Good, potentially boosting real-time tune-in and streaming/box-office awareness. Cher’s return adds cross-generational appeal that can widen the episode’s demographic reach.
Josh O’Connor’s Dec. 13 hosting slot is notable because it coincides precisely with Wake Up Dead Man’s Netflix streaming debut on Dec. 12, an alignment that leverages SNL’s promotional power for streaming releases. For Netflix and distributors, a late-night TV appearance timed to a streaming launch can translate into immediate audience curiosity and social-media amplification. Lily Allen’s presence further diversifies the episode’s music and cultural resonance.
Melissa McCarthy’s Dec. 6 return highlights SNL’s reliance on trusted comedic performers for stable ratings, while giving space to emerging music acts like Dijon. For advertisers and NBCUniversal, a December lineup with varied star profiles can command premium spots and cross-promotional deals during the key Q4 advertising period. Looking ahead, these bookings may influence how studios and labels plan future release schedules around late-night opportunities.
Comparison & Data
| Episode Date | Host | Musical Guest | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 6, 2025 | Melissa McCarthy | Dijon | Dijon album Baby |
| Dec. 13, 2025 | Josh O’Connor | Lily Allen | Wake Up Dead Man (theatrical Nov. 26, Netflix Dec. 12); West End Girl |
| Dec. 20, 2025 | Ariana Grande | Cher | Wicked: For Good (Nov. 21); The Memoir |
The table shows how each episode aligns with a specific promotional window. Scheduling hosts on or near release dates is a measurable strategy used to drive immediate attention; networks monitor ratings, streaming spikes and social engagement to judge impact. Historically, episodes featuring cross-promotional high-profile talent tend to generate outsized online discussion, which can be quantified via trending metrics and streaming referral traffic.
Reactions & Quotes
Network and trade coverage framed the December slate as a mix of veteran returns and strategic release tie-ins. Industry observers noted the benefits of pairing star-driven promotion with late-night visibility.
The show confirmed the Dec. 6, 13 and 20 lineups in its schedule release.
Saturday Night Live (announcement via Variety)
Entertainment outlets highlighted Ariana Grande’s repeated SNL presence and Cher’s long gap between appearances.
Grande returns as host for her third time and fifth overall appearance on the program.
Variety (entertainment reporting)
Distribution and streaming coverage emphasized the timing of film and streaming windows as a decisive factor for bookings.
Wake Up Dead Man opens in limited release Nov. 26 and streams Dec. 12 on Netflix.
Netflix (distribution schedule)
Unconfirmed
- Set lists and specific sketches for the Dec. 6, 13 and 20 episodes have not been released and remain subject to change.
- It is not confirmed whether Ariana Grande will perform new music from Wicked: For Good on-air or whether Cher’s set will tie directly to The Memoir promotions.
- Any guest cameos or surprise musical collaborators for the December episodes have not been announced and remain speculative.
Bottom Line
SNL’s December schedule pairs legacy artists and contemporary stars with timely promotional windows, reflecting an intentional strategy to maximize viewership and cross-platform momentum. Ariana Grande’s Dec. 20 hosting slot alongside Cher promises broad demographic reach, while Josh O’Connor’s and Melissa McCarthy’s episodes support film and music release strategies in a compact promotional period.
For advertisers and content partners, the slate offers advertiser-friendly booking opportunities during a key ratings period. Viewers should expect episodes designed to generate immediate social-media buzz and to serve as one component of larger multimedia campaigns tied to film, album and book releases.
Sources
- Variety — (entertainment news; announcement coverage)