Ariana Grande To Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in December

Following the release of Wicked: For Good, Ariana Grande will return to host Saturday Night Live for the third time on December 20. Grande previously hosted the show in 2016 and 2024, which included the fan-favorite Domingo Bridesmaid speech sketch. During the episode, Cher will take the stage as musical guest for the second time, following her first appearance in 1987.

Other December SNL episodes will include host Melissa McCarthy on December 6, featuring Dijon as the musical guest, and Josh O’Connor making his hosting debut on December 13 with Lily Allen as the musical guest. SNL airs Saturdays on NBC (11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT), also streaming live on Peacock. 

Grande is starring as Glinda in the two-part film adaptation of Wicked, the first part of which has already been released.  For her performance in the film, she was nominated for multiple awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. The sequel, Wicked: For Good, will hit theaters on November 21.

She has since booked roles in Focker In-Law, the new season of American Horror Story, and Jon M. Chu's animated musical Oh, the Places You'll Go. In previous interviews, she has indicated that she hopes to pursue more acting and musical theater. She recently noted her excitement for a to-be-announced stage production in which she will star.

Earlier this year, Grande announced 'the eternal sunshine tour,' kicking off in June 2026 in Oakland, CA. This is her first headlining run since 2019’s Sweetener World Tour. The majority of the 2026 dates take place in North America, with other stops that include Austin, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Chicago. Her tour will conclude with five London dates in August. Take a look at the full tour lineup here.

The performer has also released a short film "brighter days ahead," released in conjunction with the album. The film is directed by Grande and Christian Breslauer, and sees an elderly Peaches (a character played by Grande) who checks into the Brighter Days clinic to revitalize her memory. 

The latest version of her hit album follows her "slightly deluxe" and "slightly deluxe and also live" editions, which featured alternate live, acoustic, and remixed versions of the tracks. eternal sunshine, her first album since 2020, was released in March of 2024 to acclaim from fans and critics. The title takes inspiration from the 2004 Jim Carrey movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. 

A Grammy Award-winning performer, Ariana Grande began professionally pursuing her musical career at only eight years old. Six of her studio albums have reached number one on the Billboard 200, and nine of her songs have topped the Billboard Hot 100. She previously appeared in the original Broadway cast of Jason Robert Brown's 13: The Musical and played Penny Pingleton in the 2016 NBC live telecast of Hairspray.