Tracy Morgan Returning to ‘Saturday Night Live,' Says He Is ‘Stoked to Be Going Home'
By Colin Bertram ••
Tracy Morgan will return to Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center on October 17 as host of "Saturday Night Live."
Former cast member Morgan spent seven seasons as a "SNL" player (1996-2003) and this will be his second time hosting the comedy sketch show.
Other hosts announced for the 41st season include Miley Cyrus (Oct. 3) and "Trainwreck's" Amy Schumer (Oct. 10). Musical guests have yet to be revealed.
Soon after the news of his return to "SNL" broke, the comedian said on Twitter he was "stoked to be going home."
Morgan, 46, is still recovering from injuries sustained in a June 7, 2014 accident when a Wal-Mart truck on the New Jersey Turnpike slammed into the back of a limousine-bus carrying the former "30 Rock" star and others who were returning from a comedy show in Delaware. Morgan suffered a traumatic brain injury, a broken leg, and broken ribs in the crash.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the crash, Morgan told NBC's Matt Lauer on "Today" in early June, "I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm in front of you." While his focus at the time was on healing, Morgan added he could not wait "to get back to comedy."
AP
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Taylor Swift arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Dakota Johnson arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Emma Stone arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Jackie Sandler, left, and Adam Sandler arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Olivia Wilde arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Paige Butcher, left, and Eddie Murphy arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Lucy Liu arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Sarah Palin arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Joanna Newsom, left, and Andy Samberg arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Sarah Silverman arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Betty White arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Comedian Louis C.K. attends SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
James Franco arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Kenan Thompson (L) and Jay Pharoah attend SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
Gabourey Sidibe arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Mary Elizabeth Ellis, left, and Charlie Day arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Emilie Livingston, left, and Jeff Goldblum arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Jimmy Fallon, left, and Justin Timberlake arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Actor Fred Willard attends SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
Comedian Jon Lovitz attends SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
Melissa McCarthy arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Amy Poehler attends SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Will Ferrell arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Actor Bill Murray attends SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
Fred Armisen arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Rachel Dratch arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Actress Siobhan Fallon Hogan attends SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
Ana Gasteyer arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Seth Meyers, left, and Alexi Ashe arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Whoopi Goldberg attends SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City.
Matt Lauer, from left, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Carson Daly arrive at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Elliott Gould arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Victoria Jackson arrives at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Garrett Morris arrives at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Horatio Sanz arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Kyle Mooney, from left, Beck Bennett and Bobby Moynihan arrive at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
Bill Hader arrives at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.
The most Emmy-nominated show of all time, "Saturday Night Live" celebrated its 40th anniversary with a star-studded broadcast special in February. Returning cast members included Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Rachel Dratch, Molly Shannon, Mike Meyers, Dana Carvey, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers and Maya Rudolph. Morgan was not well enough at the time to attend.
During the celebration, Fey and Alec Baldwin took to the stage to honor Morgan.
"I wish my friend Tracy Morgan was here tonight, and I know that he was hoping he would be well enough to be here too," Fey said. "If he were here tonight, I'm sure Tracy would remind us that more than anything, he'd like to get us all pregnant."
