The news follows a string of recent cast departures as the storied program prepares for its 51st season. Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow have said they're leaving the show. Multiple news outlets reported that cast mainstay Heidi Gardner was also departing the show.

Ego Nwodim is saying goodbye to Saturday Night Live after seven unforgettable seasons. “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,” Nwodim wrote in an Instagram post. “But after seven unforgettable seasons,

They're baaack! The following 12 Saturday Night Live stars will return for Season 51: Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang, plus featured players Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline.

Ego Nwodim, a longtime cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” has announced she’s leaving the show after seven seasons. “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. But after seven unforgettable seasons,

Losing Bowen would have been very, very tough,” said an “SNL” source of Lorne Michaels’ big move to keep Yang on board.

Ego Nwodim exits voluntarily, while SNL season 51 proceeds with new hires and a confirmed launch on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The exit follows her high-visibility run with Lisa from Temecula and recent “Miss Eggy” Weekend Update moments,

The SNL stars not returning for Season 51 include Heidi Gardner (after eight seasons), Michal Longfellow (after three seasons), Devon Walker (after three seasons), Emil Wakim (after one season), and John Higgins, who was part of the Please Don’t Destroy troupe that joined the late-night show in 2021.

Nwodim joined "Saturday Night Live" in 2018 ahead of Season 44 and earned repertory status for Season 46. In addition to "SNL," she has appeared in Peacock's "Poker Face" and "Mr. Throwback," as well as Netflix's "Little Brother."

One alum has won an Oscar. Another has a Grammy. Several have acquired Emmys and Tonys — and they all have been featured players in only a single season of Lorne Michaels' long-running sketch comedy series.

Saturday Night Live's Chloe Fineman opened up about cast changes for season 51, calling them 'pretty wild' while reflecting on her experience

He’s going back to work,” Johansson confirmed to Entertainment Weekly in an exclusive interview on Sunday. Jost himself has not yet weighed in on his return, or the likelihood that he’ll be back at the “Weekend Update” desk alongside his longtime co-host,