The Prodigal Child Returns: Eddie Murphy To Return To SNL After 30 Years

Eddie Murphy left ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1984, before many of you were even born. After 4 spectacular seasons on SNL, Eddie departed to become the highest grossing SNL alumni of all time.

It’s been 30 years since Eddie Murphy last set food inside the hallowed 30 Rock where ‘Saturday Night Live’ is filmed. For years rumors have swirled as to why he never came back to host like the other great cast members. Once Eddie claimed that they were “shitty” to him, and said some “shitty things” about him.

Later he backpedaled and said that he’d return if the timing ever fit, that as a grown man his place was either working or with his family, but if the timing ever worked out he’d be happy to return. Well THE TIME HAS COME!

According to Mediaite:

With the show’s 40th anniversary special set to air on Sunday night, February 15, he will be making his first appearance on the show in more than 30 years.

In a phone interview with NewsOne Now’s Roland Martin, Murphy confirmed that he will be appearing on next month’s special. Asked why he has never hosted the show over the last three decades, Murphy said, “It’s just timing. It just never worked out where the timing was right for me to do it.”

“They’re actually having a 40th anniversary I think in two weeks,” the actor added. “I’m going to that, and that’ll be the first time I’ve been back since I left.”

In 2011, when he was still planning to host the Oscars, Murphy told Ellen DeGeneres that he was finally open to hosting SNL. “I would go back if it was the right stuff, situation,” he said, explaining that he had been upset about how the show treated him in the years after he left.

“It was years ago. I don’t have any bad blood with that show,” he explained. “And that show is such a big part of my past. I love being part of it. Yeah, I wanna go back.”

For those of you who are die-hard SNL fans it would have been virtually impossible for you to avoid seeing at least one Eddie Murphy skit throughout the years. Even though he only spent four seasons in the cast, he’s featured in almost every ‘Best Of’ compilation SNL has ever cobbled together. He was featured heavily the 25th Anniversary special, and he continues to make cameos in their annual Christmas and Thanksgiving specials.

But if you’ve never seen him in action, here are few of his greatest SNL skits:

Eddie Murphy stars in ‘James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party’

So bros, set your DVR’s for February 15th!

Tip of the hat to UPROXX and Mediate for being first to this news!