Kenan Thompson Talks Nickelodeon's "Kenan & Kel" And "iParty"

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Kenan Thompson talks Kenan & Kel and Nickelodeon's iParty

What's Nickelodean favourite Kenan Thompson been up to since the end of his smash hit 1990s sitcom, Kenan & Kel? The answer is - a great deal.

Since 2003, he's been a cast member of America's iconic comedy sketch series, Saturday Night Live. In addition, Kenan has taken on numerous film and TV roles.

He returns to Nickelodeon, the place where it all started, for iParty (as shown in the picture).

In the 90-minute special, the casts of popular teen shows iCarly and Victorious combine for the first time ever. Believe me, for fans of either (or both) - this is a huge TV event. It will be broadcast on Nickelodeon on 7 October.

No time like the present to find out what Kenan Thompson has to say about Kenan & Kel, Saturday Night Live and iParty.

Are you surprised at the love still shown around the world for Kenan & Kel?
I was really surprised when they decided to put Kenan & Kel back on the Nickelodeon networks. I’d seen all the fans’ requests for it to be back on air, which is always nice. I feel really flattered. Now the show is back on air I get recognised everyday.

I get recognised about six times on the way to work and I have started to drive with the windows up so people can’t see in!

Are you still in touch with any of the Kenan & Kel cast?
Yes, my family on the show, the girl who played my sister, my mum and dad on the show all came to my wedding recently.

Do you have a favourite Kenan & Kel memory?
I don’t have one favourite memory in particular, I actually have several favourite moments. One I do remember clearly is in a Tower episode where we had to hang out on some scaffolding about five feet off the ground, but we had to pretend it was much higher up. It was still kind of scary though as we had to mess around on it, but it was still fun to me.

How does it feel to be part of Saturday Night Live, a show that has launched so many comedy legends?
It feels great to be part of Saturday Night Live and it is definitely a blessing for me to be there! I love doing all the impressions, and all my favourite sketches are designed to be high energy, plus I’m involved in playing many different characters.

How does it feel to be returning to Nickelodeon screens for iParty?
It feels really great and I felt very nostalgic to be back on a Nickelodeon set. I was very excited to be with both the iCarly and Victorious casts, as they are such great shows. It was an interesting experience, but I did feel old being surrounded by young Nickelodeon stars!

What was it like working with the cast from both Victorious & iCarly?
It was great working with both the casts from Victorious & iCarly. They were so professional, especially considering they are so young. They are ten times more professional than I was at their age.

Can you tell us about your role in iParty?
In iParty I play the role of the celebrity version of myself. I loan out my “mansion” for them all to have a party. And I crash the party that I allowed them to have at my own house. Then I run around like crazy with them.

What was your favourite children’s TV show growing up?
I’m an '80s kid so I love a lot of the '80s kids shows. For example, Diff'rent Strokes (a family sitcom about a rich white Manhattan family that adopt the children of their late African American maid), I also really enjoyed Facts of Life, which was set in a girls’ boarding school.

Any future project plans you can tell us about?
Yes, I worked with Morgan Freeman over the summer for a couple of days which was really cool. It was for a new film called Summer at Dog Dave’s, in which I play his nephew. It is about an author who has really bad writers block and he goes to stay at a place called Dog Dave’s house. He befriends a single mother and all her kids whilst he is there.

Watch Kenan Thompson in the TV crossover, iParty, on Friday 7 October at 6pm only on Nickelodeon! Nick.co.uk

Leave It All To Shine, featuring Miranda Cosgrove and Victoria Justice, available to download now.