American rapper Roddy Ricch was scheduled to take the stage as the musical guest of the first 'Saturday Night Live episode' of 2022 on January 15.
However, Ricch has dropped out of 'Saturday Night Live' this week after a possible COVID exposure.
"Due to recent COVID-19 exposure on my team and to keep everyone safe I won't be able to perform on SNL this weekend," Ricch wrote on his Instagram Story.
"I'm working with the SNL team to lock in a new date though! LOVE [pray emoji] STAY SAFE," he added.
According to Variety, the rapper has been replaced by the Jack Antonoff-led band Bleachers for this weekend's 'SNL' episode. 'West Side Story' fame Ariana DeBose is set to host the show on Saturday.
Ricch is the third musical guest to pull out of a performance on the show due to COVID-related reasons, all of which vary.
In October of 2020, country music star Morgan Wallen's scheduled appearance was cancelled by the show after photos emerged on social media of him breaking protocol just days before the show by socialising in Alabama without a mask at a crowded bar and a house party.
He posted an apology soon later, saying he respected the show's decision and noted that although he had not tested positive, "my actions from this past weekend were pretty short-sighted, and have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams," he said. The show rescheduled his appearance for several weeks later.
For the final show of the 2021 season in December, Charli XCX's scheduled performance was called off as the Omicron variant reached alarming levels in New York and 'SNL' was forced to stage a dramatically scaled-down version of the show they had prepared.
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