Cecily Strong to co-anchor 'SNL' Weekend Update

Credit: NBC

With the imminent departure of head writer and Weekend Update anchor Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live is looking to set up a smooth transition into the segment's next host.

To that end, showrunner Lorne Michaels has confirmed that current cast member Cecily Strong will be joining Meyers at the news desk in the upcoming season of the late-night sketch comedy show. Strong will make her debut at the desk during the Sept. 28 season premiere.

“Cecily, from the first show, was right there,” said Michaels in an interview. “She exploded.”

Michaels noted that Strong could parlay the position into a solo anchor role later in the season, though he hopes to keep Meyers on even after the funnyman takes over for Jimmy Fallon on Late Night in February.

Strong is still a relative newcomer to SNL, having only joined the show last season. However, the actress quickly became a standout among the show's cast, and her profile is likely to rise in the wake of the departure of several longtime veterans such as Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen. Strong is already familiar with the Weekend Update desk, having made her stamp on the show with such characters as Girl You Wished You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party, a regular during last season's Weekend Update segments.

Via: HitFix