Live from New York, it’s a much smaller Saturday Night Live. NBC confirms to Us Weekly that the cast will be downsized and live audience removed amid concerns about the rise in positive COVID-19 cases.

“Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of Saturday Night Live and the show will have limited cast and crew,” a spokesperson for SNL said in a statement to Us on Saturday, December 18. “The show continues to follow government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorous testing protocol.”

The announcement was made at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, less than seven hours before the broadcast. It isn’t clear which cast members will be included in season 46, episode 9. Paul Rudd is set to host from Studio 8H, but musical guest Charli XCX has announced her performances were canceled.

“Due to the limited crew at tonight’s taping of SNL my musical performances will no longer be able to go ahead. I am devastated and heartbroken,” the singer, 29, shared via Instagram on Saturday. “Myself, Caroline [Polachek], Christine [of Christine and the Queens] and all of our crews and teams have worked so hard all week alongside the SNL team to bring the most amazing musical performance to live. It can’t happen this time, but I’ll be back! I am verdantly safe and healthy but of course very sad. Please look after yourselves out there and make sure you get vaccinated if you haven’t already. Lots of love, Charli.”

This story is developing.

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