Saturday Night Live star apologises to Ariana Grande for on-air kiss that left singer ‘shaking’

A comedian has apologised to Ariana Grande after kissing her “too much” during a skit on live TV, which left her “shaking”.

Ariana Grande co-star sorry for SNL kiss.

Saturday Night Live comedian Bowen Yang has apologised to Ariana Grande for opening his mouth “too much” when they kissed on live TV.

The duo starred alongside each other on the popular variety show last month where they were required to kiss while in character when doing a skit.

Looking back at the episode with Grande on his Las Culturistas podcast, Bowen said he felt he overstepped during the intimate moment and was sorry.

“I really have to apologise to you in person,” Yang told Grande on the Wednesday taping. “I opened up my mouth too much when we kissed on SNL.”

Saturday Night Live comedian Bowen Yang says he overstepped when kissing Ariana Grande on the show.

Bowen says he kissed the singer and actress a little “too much”.

“You absolutely did,” Grande told Yang, who is also her co-star in the movie musical Wicked. “I was shaking after. Not in a bad way. Just in a disarming way.”

In the sketch, the singer and actress played Diane, the competitive mother of Yang’s boyfriend, played by Michael Longfellow.

When Yang’s character, Josh, calls out Diane’s antics, their chemistry is off the scale and they exchange a passionate kiss.

“I’m so sorry. I kissed you too much,” Yang added.

But Grande was a good sport about it and said it was all for television.

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“It felt like what these people needed at that time,” she recalled. “It felt like what these characters required. I’m all for it.”

“When we rehearsed it, [I had] a little thought in my head. I didn’t say anything because I was like, ‘Everyone’s going to think I’m absolutely insane and too comfortable.’ But I [thought to myself], ‘How funny would it be if we kissed at the end?’”

As it turns out, Bowen was thinking the same thing.

“And then Bowen texts me a few hours later, [saying] ‘It’s totally fine, if this is way too crazy, but we were talking and thought it would be so funny if we kissed at the end,’” Grande shared. “And I was like, ‘Wow, I was thinking that.’”

Bowen apologises while podcast co-host Matt Rogers looked on.

Grande said she understood the assignment and it was all good from her end.

The episode marked the second time Grande had hosted the show – she first scored the hosting gig back in 2016. However, this time around she delivered the biggest audience the NBC show has seen since 2021, as per Nielsen data.

Drawing 5.6 million viewers, Grande’s episode scored the biggest SNL audience since 2021 when Elon Musk hosted the show alongside musical guest Miley Cyrus.

“I had the time of my life,” Grande told Bowen and his co-host Matt Rogers. “I would have done it right after we finished at 1am again. I really love being there. I love every single person there. I just had the loveliest, best time with everyone.”

“When it comes to doing big, exciting things, sometimes it can become a scary, daunting thing. But if you hold onto excitement and gratitude and let that fuel the entire experience, it can really change the tone of everything.”

Originally published as Saturday Night Live star apologises to Ariana Grande for on-air kiss that left singer ‘shaking’