'SNL' star Kenan Thompson hints at 'a lot of change' to the show following 50th season finale

Business Insider

25-05-2025

"SNL" has wrapped its milestone 50th season and is set to return to screens in the fall.
Kenan Thompson, one of the show's longest-serving cast members, has teased major changes.
Several fan favorites have been the subject of departure rumors in recent weeks.
" Saturday Night Live" wrapped its milestone 50th season last week, with a scheduled return to screens in the fall.
But while audiences may be eager to see their cast favorites once again spoof the latest happenings in Washington, it appears that there could be a bit of a shake-up coming.
Kenan Thompson, the longest-tenured cast member in the NBC show's history, has hinted that some big changes could take place between now and next season.
Speaking to Page Six on Wednesday, Thompson described the show's recent season finale as "bittersweet."
"Especially this year where it feels like there's maybe, possibly, a lot of change next year," he said.
Thompson did not expand on what those changes may be, but there has been speculation that several popular cast members may be about to leave the show.
"You want everyone to stay forever, knowing that people may be making decisions this summer," he added.
Colin Jost, whose wife Scarlett Johansson hosted the season 50 finale episode, cracked several jokes about replacing "Saturday Night Live" boss Lorne Michaels during his latest Weekend Update. Jost began his tenure on the show as part of the writing team in 2005 and became co-anchor of the "Weekend Update" segment in 2014.
It was speculated that Michaels would be departing in the run-up to the show's 50th anniversary celebrations. The 80-year-old, however, who created the sketch comedy show in 1975 has previously addressed the rumors, telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2024 that he had no "immediate" plans to retire.
"I just know that this is kind of what I do and as long as I can keep doing it, I'll keep doing it," he said.
Elsewhere in the finale, Sarah Sherman, who joined the cast in 2021, was shown looking confused after other cast members sang a line about her leaving in a song performed during Johansson's monologue.
Bowen Yang also has left fans worried he could be saying his farewells following a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.
"I think you get to a point at SNL where you understand that you're on the downswing of things. I think I was just processing that being one of the last 'last nights' that I would have, and that is a huge thing," he said earlier this week.
As for Thompson, who joined the cast in 2003, he said he has yet to sign a new contract for the coming season but expressed interest in returning.
"You just never know what the future holds," he told Page Six. "I don't want to be in the way of someone else."
"I don't want to be the stale old man riding the same old thing. That doesn't really happen that much at 'SNL' but there's no guarantees," he added.