‘SNL’ Shakeup Sees Multiple Cast Members Exit the NBC Comedy Series

SNL Season 47 Cast (Credit: NBC)

When Saturday Night Live returns in the fall for its 48th season, the cast will look very different.

Variety broke the news Friday that longtime SNL regular Pete Davidson is expected to leave the show after the season finale.

Davidson, 28, joined the NBC sketch comedy series in 2014 as one of the youngest players ever on the show. Then an unknown comic, he quickly became a breakout star. After dating a string of female superstars, currently Kim Kardashian, and beefing with her ex-husband Kanye West, his profile has risen even higher.

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Davidson isn’t the only SNL comic preparing to exit studio 8H. Veteran players Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney are also expected to depart, according to a Friday report in Deadline.

McKinnon, who is known for her iconic impressions of Justin Bieber, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elizabeth Warren, Hillary Clinton, and Jeff Sessions, has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her performances on SNL.

Both Davidson and McKinnon have worked on multiple other projects in recent years as well.

Davidson co-wrote and starred in the 2020 film, The King of Staten Island. He is also the executive producer and star of the upcoming biographical comedy series Bupkis, which recently landed a straight-to-series order at Peacock.

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McKinnon was part of the ensemble cast of the 2016 Ghostbusters remake. She also had a role in the critically acclaimed film Bombshell and a voice part in the upcoming DC League of Super-Pets.

NBC isn’t commenting on the reported departures, and it’s currently unknown if the talented Kenan Thompson and Michael Che will remain on the show.

Che currently stars on HBO Max series That Damn Michael Che, in addition to his SNL duties.

For two seasons, Thompson starred on the NBC comedy Kenan, which was canceled last week amid falling ratings.

SNL premiered in 1975. It airs live on Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT