Saturday Night Live concluded its iconic and record-breaking 50th season, but with multiple cast members and writers announcing their departures ahead of season 51, concerns have been raised about the show’s continuing longevity. SNL has been a weekend staple for decades, making audiences laugh with its unique brand of sketch comedy and political humor.
The NBC late-night program has been a comedy juggernaut, launching the careers of numerous household names and Emmy Award winners since its inception in 1975. Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, and Will Ferrell are just a few of the megastars who got their starts on SNL. Audience members become attached to their favorite cast members, and any departure can be hard.
Although some cast members leave and new comedians are introduced almost every season, the number of cast members leaving before SNL season 51 feels worrying. Season 50, stylized as SNL50, was a massive success, but without some of the voices that made it great, it’s unclear if season 51 will keep the ratings momentum going at a time it desperately needs to.
Lorne Michaels Has Confirmed That SNL Season 51 Would See A Major Shake-Up
In August 2025, creator and showrunner Lorne Michaels confirmed SNL season 51 would see a cast shakeup, although he didn’t give away many details. The sketch comedy show’s season 50 cast didn’t go through many changes, but Michaels promised that precedent would not carry over into season 51.
The goal had always been to get through the 50th anniversary season and then approach the next season as something of a reset and fresh start. Other cast members covertly confirmed this when they also hinted there would be departures. Then, the official exit announcements started flooding in.
SNL Is In The Midst Of A Cast Exodus Before Season 51
Devon Walker was the first SNL cast member to announce he wouldn’t be returning for SNL season 51. In an Instagram feed post, Walker informed fans that while working at SNL was often fun, it was also toxic at times. He never expressly stated whether he left the show by choice or was asked to leave, but his post played into the speculation. Walker titled his explanation, “wait..did he quit or did he get fired?”
The next shock came when Emil Wakim was fired from the NBC show, which he announced in an Instagram post on August 27, 2025. Wakim frequently appeared on Weekend Update, and his talent was clear from day one. It seemed like Wakim needed a little more time to really find his footing on SNL, and unfortunately, he won’t have that opportunity.
Michael Longfellow then announced he was cut from the show. Based on his Instagram caption, it seems that, like Wakim, Longfellow was asked not to return, rather than deciding to leave on his own accord. However, LateNighter reported just a few days earlier that Longfellow taped a screen test for Weekend Update.
With Colin Jost rumored to be leaving SNL, Longfellow seemed like the perfect Weekend Update host replacement. Of course, neither Jost nor Michael Che have announced that they’re quitting, so a screen test may have been premature. Now that Longfellow is out, it’s even more likely Jost will be sticking around for another season.
Eight-year SNL veteran Heidi Gardner will also be absent from season 51, and while she has yet to make a statement, it’s safe to assume Gardner has quit rather than been cut. The comedian has been lending her talents to various TV shows and commercials, so she likely decided now was a good time to move on from SNL.
In addition to the four cast members leaving SNL after season 50, two writers are also out. Celeste Yim wrote for SNL for five years and was the first out trans person to be staffed as a writer on the show. Rosebud Baker will be going on a stand-up comedy tour instead of writing for the show for another season.
More people are likely to be leaving SNL before season 51 premieres in October. As of August 2025, we don’t know who, if anyone, will replace the missing cast members. While it’s understandable, it’s a worrying sign for the show after season 50.
SNL50 Saw Record-Setting Viewership After Struggling Ratings
SNL season 50 was the most-watched season in three years. The season averaged 8.1 million views per episode, a number that didn’t even account for the massively-viewed SNL50: The Anniversary Special. The event got 22.8 million views within the first 35 days of airing.
When the Emmy Award nominations came out on July 15, 2025, SNL broke its own record as the most-nominated show of all time, bringing the total to 338. Clearly, SNL season 50 was a success, so a shake-up going into the new season is disconcerting, especially as the long-running live show has been hemhorraging viewers for a few seasons now.
The Cast Exodus Before SNL Season 51 Might Kill The Momentum The Show Desperately Needs
Michaels did say there was going to be a revamp of the SNL cast, and he wasn’t lying. Of course, new cast members are frequently hired on SNL, and these new players can bring a fresh perspective and reignite the show. However, if fans lose their favorite comedians, it can prevent them from tuning into the new season. A shake-up is a high-risk, high-reward proposition.
It’s especially dicey considering that SNL‘s ratings have been dipping for a few years. Like many other broadcast shows, Saturday Night Live has been losing viewers to streaming services. However, SNL has a uniquely challenging position, being a show that leans so heavily on political sketch comedy at a time when the nation is divided, and even seemingly apolitical sketches can draw fire.
While it’s adapted to the new normal, it, like other network shows, will never be the ratings juggernaut it once was. We’ll have to wait until the Saturday Night Live season 51 premiere on October 4 to see how exactly Michaels is reinventing the award-winning late-night program. The show may have an uphill battle after such an iconic 50th season, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Michaels.
Source: LateNighter
