Saturday Night Live has confirmed which current cast members are returning for its 51st season, which will includes Colin Jost and Michael Che back at the “Weekend Update” desk.
Chloe Fineman, Andrew Dismukes, Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, Mikey Day, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernández, Andrew Dismukes, are all returning, per Variety. Kenan Thompson continues his streak as the show’s longest running cast member, returning for his 23rd season.
SNL boss Lorne Michaels had already revealed to Puck last month that Donald Trump-impersonator James Austin Johnson will return with more takes on the President. After the firing of Emil Wakim, who had only just joined the cast last season, the other two newcomers, Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline, have been invited to return.
During the cast “shake-up” that Michaels promised, three-year tenured cast members Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker were also let go. In the most surprising move, eight-year fan favorite Heidi Gardner was revealed to not be returning. According to New York Post, her contract was not extended. Gardner has yet to comment on her departure.
Previous reports revealed that the show considered replacements for Jost and Che at the Weekend Update desk as recently as May. Plans to change the co-anchors, who’ve been at it since 2014, have apparently been nixed. Longfellow was let go despite a report that he screen tested for the job—something he later denied.
Other changes at the show included the departure of some writers—Celeste Yim, the show’s first out trans writer, as well as Rosebud Baker. One-third of the show’s “Please Don’t Destroy” group, John Higgins, is also leaving the show, effectively ending the trio’s behind-the-scenes sketches for the series.
Another “Please Don’t Destroy” member, Ben Marshall, was moved to feature player status for the upcoming season, where he will join newcomers Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, and Kam Patterson.
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