Bowen Yang is to leave ‘Saturday Night Live’ after eight seasons

by

Bowen Yang, a popular performer on “Saturday Night Live,” is reportedly leaving the show after this week’s episode. Neither Yang nor NBC has confirmed the news. Rumors have been circulating recently about his future with the show. He first joined “SNL” as a writer in Season 45 and later became a cast member.

Kenan Thompson played many different characters on Saturday Night Live, including impressions of J.D. Vance, Fran Lebowitz, and a hippopotamus named Moo Deng. He received his fifth Emmy Award nomination for his contributions to the show’s landmark 50th season.

Matthew Yang will be on Saturday’s episode of the show, which will be hosted by his ‘Wicked’ co-star, Ariana Grande, and feature a performance by Cher.

Awards

Bowen Yang has quickly become a popular cast member on the long-running NBC sketch comedy show, and recently earned his fourth Emmy nomination thanks to his knack for creating surprising and widely shared moments.

Beyond his work on “Saturday Night Live,” Bowen Yang has been busy with other projects. He co-hosts the hit podcast “Las Culturistas” with Matt Rogers, and their popular Culture Awards show recently aired on Bravo and Peacock. He also appeared in the “Wicked” movies and has starred in films like “The Wedding Banquet,” “Fire Island,” and “Dicks the Musical.”

Early in December, Yang announced he and Rogers are collaborating on a new comedy film for Searchlight Pictures. They will both write and star in the movie, which is said to be about two Americans traveling to Berlin in an attempt to get into the famously exclusive Berghain nightclub.

Yang isn’t the first ‘Saturday Night Live’ performer to leave during the season. He follows in the footsteps of former stars like Cecily Strong, Molly Shannon, and Amy Poehler, who also left the show outside of its usual summer break.

Before Season 51 began, NBC and producer Lorne Michaels revamped the cast, bringing in five new featured players. Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim all left the show just before the season started in October.

Television

Following a hugely successful 50th season, “Saturday Night Live” is adding five new cast members to replace those who have recently left the show.

The current season of the show welcomed new cast members Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska. Ben Marshall previously worked as a writer on “SNL” and is also known for his appearances with the comedy group Please Don’t Destroy.

The fifty-first season of “Saturday Night Live” will begin in early 2026 and continue airing until May.

Read More

2025-12-19 22:31