Sabrina Carpenter joins iconic Muppet Show for one-off 50th anniversary special

The Muppet Show is returning for a one-off special to celebrate its 50th anniversary, with none other than pop star Sabrina Carpenter.

The special will stream on Disney+ starting February 4, bringing Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang back to fans more than four decades after the original series ended.

Disney promised fans “music, comedy and a whole lot of chaos” from the original Muppet Theatre.

A teaser clip shared by Disney shows Kermit turning on the lights of the old studio and placing his signature mug on a desk, signaling a nostalgic return to the beloved Muppet Theatre.

Sabrina Carpenter is not only starring in the special but also serving as an executive producer, alongside Canadian comedian Seth Rogen, who was in the 2020 series.

The series originally ran from 1976 to 1981 and became a global phenomenon, featuring famous guests such as Elton John, Johnny Cash, Diana Ross, John Cleese, and Debbie Harry.

It was broadcast in over 100 countries and won numerous awards, including Emmys, Grammys, and a BAFTA. In 1978, Time magazine called the show “the most popular television entertainment now being produced on Earth”.

Despite the lights going out on the main series, the Muppets Tonight talk show ran from 1996 to 1998.

Over the years, the Muppets franchise has seen several spin-offs, including Muppets Tonight (1996–1998), Muppets Now (2020), and The Muppets Mayhem (2023), as well as a string of films such as The Great Muppet Caper (1981), The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), and Muppets Most Wanted (2014).

Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets in 2004, following the death of creator Jim Henson in 1990.