Ariana Grande is set to host the December 20 Christmas episode of Saturday Night Live, which will also feature Cher as musical guest.
The appearance marks Cher’s first full musical guest performance on the show since 1987. That year, she performed “We All Sleep Alone” and “I Found Someone.”
She has returned only for cameos since that time. Earlier this year, she joined the “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” a live event commemorating the show’s 50th anniversary.
During a visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Grande said that the upcoming broadcast will be “one of the gayest SNL episodes that has ever happened.”
Grande explained that she received confirmation about hosting before learning who would be appearing alongside her. She told Fallon she was notified only two days before the public announcement that Cher would be the musical guest. “I almost passed out,” she said on the show, noting that the information arrived unexpectedly.
On The Tonight Show, Grande also participated in a performance segment with Fallon that moved through well-known duets. Their selections included “For Good,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Shallow,” “The Boy Is Mine,” and “A Whole New World.” The medley closed with “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” accompanied by a comedic take on the lift sequence associated with the song.
Grande additionally discussed filming both Wicked movies. She said completing them consecutively made the projects feel like one continuous experience.
NBC has outlined the full December schedule ahead of the Christmas episode. Melissa McCarthy will host the December 6 broadcast with Dijon as the musical guest. On December 13, Josh O’Connor will host with Lily Allen performing.
Grande’s December 20 appearance will close out SNL’s 2025 programming, with Cher returning to Studio 8H nearly four decades after her last musical guest performance.
Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
