Rumors Swirl About Exiting Cast Members as 'SNL' Season 51 Work Begins

SNL’s 50th Anniversary was a massive success, at least in terms of branding. I do not know how the episodes did in the ratings, nor will I look it up (and you can’t make me). My view of how people received the shows is based solely on what celebrities say on social media and what Dustin puts in his recaps. What I do know is that I saw the ads everywhere, and any time we mentioned SNL on this site, people flocked to it like overheated folks to a pool. So, it seemed like a successful endeavor (even though they excluded Cheri Oteri, which is stupid), and now, everyone’s wondering what will happen with the next season.

The 50th Anniversary wasn’t just special because it doled out a healthy dose of nostalgia for months on end; it also featured cast members whose futures on the show seemed uncertain. People like Mikey Day, Bowen Yang, Colin Jost, Michael Che, and Heidi Gardner were all rumored to be on their way out. However, the season ended without any of them giving so much as a tearful goodbye on the show’s stage. There was no ceremonious exit for any of them. However, now that contracts have started being renewed or ended, that all may change sooner rather than later.

LateNighter is reporting that people working on the show have already been told whether or not they will be returning for the new season. Contracts are often renewed at the end of July, so whoever is exiting the show likely knows already. Punkie Johnson informed people of her firing during a stand-up set at the end of July last year, but not every cast member goes that route. We may not find out that certain people have been let go until new people are announced. For now, we’re stuck with some of the same rumors we were left with at the end of last season.

Colin Jost and Michael Che seem like the most likely people to exit the show. They have been hosting Weekend Update for eleven years, and, despite still being adept at the job (depending on who you ask), it feels like a natural time for them to move on. They could just as easily lean into their tenure, though, and ride the Update desk until the show ends. Honestly, with the way the television and film landscape is changing so rapidly, I could see many cast members wanting to stay.

Where else are they going to go? I don’t even mean that as an insult. It isn’t me negging them. Things are different now, and Saturday Night Live is a consistent and high-profile gig. Leaving doesn’t guarantee success elsewhere, and that success is hampered now. Hell, we’ve learned conclusively lately that even television institutions are not safe. What’s the point of jumping into uncertainty when the place you already work is barely secure?

If I had to guess, the next person to leave SNL would be surprising. It won’t be Kenan surprising, but someone like Bowen Yang, whose footprint has grown significantly in the last year alone, could move on to bigger things. He’s already discussed life after the show. That said, he and his podcast co-host Matt Rogers recently joked about replacing Che and Jost at the Update desk. Let the speculation begin!