Nora Dunn described her five years on Saturday Night Live as a “traumatic experience” that cast members must survive, highlighting the pressures behind a programme widely known for its comedy and cultural influence. Her comments matter because they offer an account of the strain created by the show’s demanding, competitive production environment.

Dunn joined SNL in 1985, when Lorne Michaels returned to lead a struggling programme, and remained until 1990. She became known for characters including Pat Stevens, Ashley Ashley and one half of the Sweeney Sisters with Jan Hooks; she later left after boycotting an episode hosted by Andrew Dice Clay, citing objections to his misogynistic material.