Bowen Yang, one of the biggest stars of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” is departing the sketch comedy show in the middle of his eighth season, Deadline and Variety reported.
Saturday’s episode, the ninth episode of the show’s 51st season, will reportedly be his last. It will feature Ariana Grande as the host and Cher as the musical guest.
An “SNL” representative did not comment on Yang’s departure, and he has yet to confirm the news. The reports did not indicate a reason for his sudden exit.
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A mid-season departure for an “SNL” cast member is rare, with the last one being Cecily Strong in 2022. Before Strong, there was Molly Shannon in 2001, Dana Carvey in 1993 and Eddie Murphy in 1984. Norm MacDonald also exited mid-season when he was fired in 1998.
Yang, who starred in both “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good” and co-hosts the wildly popular comedy podcast “Las Culturistas,” told People in September he had spoken to “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels about his future on the show, saying he thought “the audience is maybe getting sick of me,” but that Michaels disagreed, telling him, “There’s more for you to do. I need you,” Yang recalled.
“What I’ve always thought, what I think everybody knows, is that ‘SNL’ is this boot camp, and that implies that there is a next phase you train for something else,” he continued. “It’s always a transitional place, and I think it is always a launching pad.”
Yang’s reported departure follows a big shakeup in the cast ahead of Season 51, with stars Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker and Emil Wakim all leaving the show.
