Saturday Night Live writer Peter Aykroyd dies with show paying tribute

RIP (Picture: Getty/Rex)

Saturday Night Live comedian Peter Aykroyd has died, with the show confirming the news.

The Canadian actor and writer, who was the younger brother of Dan Aykroyd, was a cast member and writer in the fifth season in 1979 to 1980.

On November 20, Saturday Night Live aired a title card announcing the news of Aykroyd’s death, which read: ‘Peter Aykroyd 1955–2021’.

Shortly afterwards, a similar message was tweeted on the programme’s official Twitter account.

A cause of death has not yet been shared.

Tributes have been flooding in for Aykroyd, with one person writing: ‘Completely missed tonight’s show but very bummed to hear the surprising news that Peter Aykroyd has passed. Dude contributed some fine material in S5 and Java Junkie is one of the most underrated pre-tapes in the show’s history. Farewell, good sir.’

Aykroyd on Saturday Night Live with lan Zweibell and Garrett Morris (Picture: Getty)

Echoing a similar sentiment, another added: ‘Sad/shocked to hear of Peter Aykroyd’s passing. Such a kind and thoughtful man. Loved him on SNL and was thrilled I got to speak to him about Java Junkie, in which he was so great, as well as Los Beatalos Cubanos and his appearance in Nothing Lasts Forever alongside @judyvineyeard.’

Aykroyd’s brother, Dan, 69, is a comedian, writer, actor and producer and is widely known for his role as Dr. Raymond Stantz in the Ghostbusters franchise, which he also helped write.

Dan has also served as a writer on Saturday Night Live and penned 60 episodes between 1976 and 1979. He was also the first host of the show with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder,

More: Saturday Night Live

This year, he reprised his role as Stantz in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the final chapter in the series.

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