When Rachel Berry got suspended and banned from competing at sectionals after rigging the school elections, it pave the way for the return of trouty mouth Sam Evans, played by the boyishly charming Chord Overstreet, adding more male tones to New Directions who will be going up against the female ensemble Trouble Tones in Glee’s sectionals episode airing next week.

Last season, we saw Sam go through a roller coaster ride from being the new kid in McKinley, to pining over Quinn, struggling his way through his family’s financial meltdown and by the end of the school year, getting into a summer fling with Mercedes. Next week’s episode will provide a continuance for his story arc with Rachel and Finn finding him working at a strip club, where he earns an average of $60 in just 15 minutes. We’ll also finally get to meet his parents, played by John Schneider (‘Smallville’) and Tayna Clark (‘Guiding Light’), who are barely back on their feet after being laid off at work, and upon his return to McKinley High, Sam will see an opening with Mercedes when he learns that Bubba, her big, bad-ass boyfriend, is out of town.

“When he comes back he tries to pick everything back up with Mercedes, and she’s not really interested. He’s trying to figure out where he fits in back in this school that he has been away from for the last few months. He’s just exploring and trying a bunch of things. He’s trying to get on a school team so he has a little bit more popularity, I guess. The popularity thing is a route that he is trying to explore to see if that helps, but she’s not interested in him because she’s got that big bad boyfriend,” Chord tells E!.

He also gives us an insight on where does Sam stand with his feelings for Quinn, who has gone back-crap crazy this season. “She may be a little too crazy for Sam right now, I don’t know. If she gets her stuff together maybe, but we’ll see,” he says.

It was really hard for Jenna Ushkowitz to film the mysterious “Glee” death.

On the current season’s final episode, an unnamed character is going to pass away. Ushkowitz, who portrays the “Glee” character Tina Cohen-Chang, admits that while filming the scenes the entire cast was upset. It was very sad, you know. Any type of death of course is sad. It takes you to a place that you would rather not go to. It kind of affected everyone. It was tough. However, the episode was done very well.

The 25 year old Jenna is hoping fans will appreciate this storyline. She also thinks they will enjoy the sad scenes.

Ushkowitz added, it’s very sweet. I think it will be appreciated by people. It was done the right way. They will be sad, however I think people will feel for all of the characters affected by this. Any death, particularly on “Glee” where you aren’t expecting something like this to happen, you will be thinking “oh wow.” The fans I think are going to be a bit shocked. I think the fans will end up liking it.

Recently the “Glee” cast shot scenes in New York on location. Jenna would love getting a storyline, which would mean getting to work in Chicago.

I have always loved Chicago, she said. I am not sure where our next show is going to be. Who knows what next season is going to bring.

Katie Couric might just be trading in her news desk job for New Directions after making a “Glee” appearance.

According to a New York Post source, the Anchor of CBS Evening News will make a guest appearance on the hit television series on FOX.

According to the insider, it’s a done deal. Katie will be making a cameo appearance as herself. The episode will be filmed soon. The source added that the chipper Couric, former Yorktown High School cheerleader in Virginia, will reportedly be sharing scenes with Sue Sylvester (played by Jane Lynch), the acerbic Cheerios coach.

Who knows? They might even pair up and do a segment of “Sue’s Corner” on WOHN News.

It is expected that Couric will appear in the post-Super Bowl February 6 episode of “Glee.” Couric won’t be the only or first famous face that has visited McKinley High. John Stamos, Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Newton-John and Britney Spears are among other celebrities who have guest starred as well.

You’ve waited patiently and you’ve sang your little hearts out to see your favorite Glee characters in the flesh. Well your dreams are about to come true as the Glee Tour will visit London, Manchester and Dublin in June 2011. The tour dates include two nights at London’s O2 Arena on June 25-26, two nights at Dublin’s O2 Arena on July 2-3 as well as a stop at MEN Arena in Manchester on June 22.

All your favorite New Directions characters will be featured including Finn (Cory Monteith), Rachel (Lea Michele), Kurt (Chris Colfer), Mercedes (Amber Riley), Puck (Mark Salling), Quinn (Dianna Agron), Brittany (Heather Morris), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), Santana (Naya Rivera), Sam (Chord Overstreet), Mike (Harry Shum Jr.) and Blaine (Darren Criss).

The UK Tour follows the wildly successfully mini-tour Glee launched in the spring in select cities in the US. Glee creator Ryan Murphy hinted in a recent statement that word on a second US tour may be coming soon. “We had such a great time putting together last year’s shows and the response from the fans was incredible,” he said. “People around the world want to see our cast live and in person, so this European tour is our way of thanking them for the unbelievable way they’ve embraced our little show. And for everyone in America who has asked if we’ll be back to a city near them this summer, stay tuned. We’ll have some exciting news very soon.”

The upcoming UK tour will feature songs from both seasons of Glee including “Empire State of Mind,” “My Life Would Suck Without You,” “Toxic” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Tickets will go onsale via Ticketmaster to the general public on November 26 with American Express cardholders getting a shot to score advanced tickets on November 22.

While Jane Lynch’s ‘Glee’ alter ego makes the lives of McKinley High students a living hell, the Emmy nominee will bring nothing but laughter – and maybe a little hell too just for kicks – when she hosts an episode of “Saturday Night Live” next fall.

The news came from “Glee” creator and “Eat Pray Love” director Ryan Murphy who told The Hollywood Reporter during the premiere of his new Julia Roberts flick in NYC, how Lynch’s SNL gig came about. “Saturday Night Live called to say, ‘Would you give us Jane for a week in October?’ We just don’t do that, but for Lorne Michaels, I said yes.”

He then immediately sent this text message to Jane Lynch: “Lady, you’re doing Saturday Night Live”, who replied back with “What are you talking about?”

Despite the report, SNL reps have denied the rumor or have named any future guests for the sketch show. “We haven’t confirmed any hosts or musical guests yet”, was the statement they sent MTV News through an email. Playing coy are we?

Anyway, Lynch has also been coy about what ‘Glee’ fans can expect from the show, particularly from the ruthless “Sue Sylvester”, this season. “I haven’t even seen a script and I don’t have any idea!” is what she told MTV News in July. One thing’s for sure though, Sue Sylvester will continue to demean McKinley High’s New Directions with her under-the-table tactics and snide comments.