'Saturday Night Live': 40th anniversary special set for next year

Not Ready for Primetime Players, get ready to be in prime time — in a big way: NBC announced Friday it will air a three-hour special next year in celebration of Saturday Night Live‘s 40th anniversary.

The live special honoring the late-night sketch series will air from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2015, and promises to feature past and present cast members, in addition to special and musical guests. The line-up of performers has not been solidified yet, though it’s likely to be impressive, given the mass of comedic talent that has passed through Studio H in Rockefeller Center.

“Saturday Night Live is an institution unlike anything else in television history,” said NBC Entertainnment Chairman Robert Greenblatt in a statement. “The many brilliant ‘Not Ready for Primetime Players’ over the years is a who’s who of film and television comedy for the last two generations. The roster includes everyone from the iconic first cast in 1975 to household names ranging from Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler, to Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers — to name only a few…. This special is just one of the many ways we plan to celebrate SNL‘s historic 40th season next year.”

Speaking of the number 40, SNL has won 40 Emmys, more than any other show.