Darrell Hammond Is Headed Back to SNL As the Voice of the Show

Darrell Hammond, the longest-serving cast member in Saturday Night Live history, is returning to be the voice of the show.

Hammond will take over as the show’s announcer after Don Pardo, the host for all 39 seasons of SNL, died in August at age 96. The show’s 40th season begins Sept. 27.

SNL’s Weekend Update segment confirmed the move—first reported by the New York Times and USA Today—in a tweet:

Hammond, the master of impressions, was a cast member from 1995 until 2009. As host, he won’t be expected to replicate Pardo’s announcer voice, Executive Producer Lorne Michaels told the Times.

“He had the greatest run and he’s a completely beloved figure. So I thought: Don’t turn this into something else. That period ended,” he said. “I think it will be good to have Darrell doing his own separate thing.”