Welcome back, Darrell Hammond! The "Saturday Night Live" alum is returning for the upcoming season 40 of the comedy series as the new announcer, USA Today reported.
Hammond, who was a cast member on the program for 14 years from 1995-2009, will be replacing Don Pardo, who passed away in August at the age of 96. He is reportedly the longest-serving cast member and is well-known for his impressions, including versions of Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Regis Philbin and Sean Connery.
"I sat in for Don when he had laryngitis several times over the years," Hammond told USA Today. "He was a lovely person. When he passed, they wanted me; it felt right for me to be the one to replace him. It's been a very improbable life; I didn't expect something like this, but it feels real good."
Executive producer and creator Lorne Michaels said Hammond will not impersonate Pardo for the upcoming season.
"I just knew it wouldn't be anybody who sounded like Don or replicated him," Michaels told USA Today. "It can't be what it was, but it could sort of be in the same tradition. And it will be nice to have Darrell around. He understands the show and will probably be helpful in ways we haven't yet figured out."
In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, Michaels said, "There were a lot of sweet ideas about carrying on with Don somehow. Because everyone has a Pardo impression. But 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... I'm really happy about it. I think it will be good to have Darrell doing his own separate thing."
"Saturday Night Live" returns Sept. 27, and will be hosted by "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Parks and Recreation" star Chris Pratt with Ariana Grande as a performer.
