Another Saturday Night Live veteran has jumped ship amid the ongoing cast shake-up that has already seen four members axed.
Creator Lorne Michaels had previously cautioned fans about a shake-up in the lineup, with several cast members anticipated to depart ahead of Season 51’s commencement on October 4.
‘Lorne doesn’t have many more years he wants to do SNL,’ an insider exclusively told the Daily Mail. ‘He wants to make it funny again.’
Fans swiftly voiced their reactions following the departure of Heidi Gardner, a cherished member of eight years, after the recent exits of Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker.
Now, in an Instagram story posted this morning, Ego Nwodim revealed she has decided to leave the show after seven seasons.
Her announcement comes just days after NBC had seemingly finalized the SNL cast for the upcoming season — with Ego still listed.
Another Saturday Night Live veteran has jumped ship amid the ongoing cast shake-up that has already seen four members axed
Now, in an Instagram Story posted this morning, Ego Nwodim revealed she has decided to leave the show after seven seasons
‘The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,’ the 37-year-old comedian wrote.
‘But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL.
‘I am profoundly thankful to Lorne for the chance, to my fellow cast members, the writers, and the crew for their creativity, support, and friendship. Performing on that stage each week taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will cherish those memories (and that laughter) forever.
‘Now invite me to your weddings please!!!’
Ego’s exit comes as a shock given that her name was included in NBC’s official list of returning cast members for the new season on Monday.
The cast roster includes longstanding favorite Kenan Thompson, Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, and Weekend Update hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost, along with Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Ashley Padilla, and Jane Wickline.
Meanwhile, the Please Don’t Destroy trio will no longer appear on screen together.
Writer and occasional performer John Higgins has departed from the show, while Ben Marshall has transitioned from the writers’ room to join the cast as a featured player, and Martin Herlihy continues as part of the writing staff.
‘The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,’ the 37-year-old comedian wrote
‘But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL,’ Ego continued
Fresh faces joining the cast this season are Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, and Kam Patterson, marking another significant shake-up for SNL as it enters Season 51.
Ego first stepped onto the stage as a featured player for Season 44 in 2018, earning a promotion to the repertory cast by Season 46 in 2020.
Before making her mark on live television, she honed her comedy chops with Upright Citizens Brigade.
Since joining SNL, Ego has expanded her resume with roles in Mr. Throwback and films such as Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and Good Burger 2.
She is set to appear next in Netflix’s comedy Little Brother, starring alongside John Cena, Eric André, Michelle Monaghan and Christopher Meloni.
Her sudden departure leaves a notable gap: unless NBC adds another cast member, Season 51 will mark the first SNL season without a Black female performer since Sasheer Zamata broke new ground in 2014.
Over the years, Ego became the seventh Black woman in the show’s history, following trailblazers like Maya Rudolph, Leslie Jones, and Punkie Johnson — making her exit a striking milestone in the show’s evolving legacy.
The recent cast changes are said to partly be tied to plans for an SNL UK spinoff in 2026, with Lorne intent on keeping the original series as the benchmark for sketch comedy.
Heidi Gardner left the show after an impressive eight-season run (pictured in February)
It was revealed that beloved performers Emil Wakim (left), Michael Longfellow (right) and Devon Walker (center) would not be returning
‘So these changes for Lorne are to see if he’s still got it,’ an insider told the Daily Mail. ‘And to make sure that SNL is funny and groundbreaking for years to come.’
The source added that he ‘needs to add some gasoline to the fire, and even though there will still be familiar names, he wants to mix it up and bring in a brand-new set of cast members, because that adds to the fun of it all’.
Auditions are ongoing, and while the process may feel cutthroat, the insider emphasized that upheavals like this are normal at SNL – though they haven’t happened on this scale in some time.
‘There are still a few more surprises—more people will be leaving, and they are still looking to cast and get new writers,’ the insider continued.
‘Lorne felt that he and the show had been on autopilot for a few years, and it is now time to be very funny again.’
He is said to want the series to take more risks and bring back some ‘grit’.
