Bowen Yang breaks silence on shock midseason SNL exit
Yang confirms he is leaving Saturday Night Live as the show undergoes a major cast overhaul ahead of his final episode hosted by Ariana Grande.
Bowen Yang is breaking his silence about his surprise midseason exit from Saturday Night Live. The 35-year-old comedian confirmed that he will depart after this weekend's episode, which is hosted by Wicked co-star Ariana Grande with Cher performing as the musical guest. The move comes amid a broader cast shakeup at NBC's long-running sketch show, in which several performers left before the start of the 2025 season, creating a period of upheaval the network has not seen in years.
In an Instagram post Friday, Yang acknowledged the departure and offered a heartfelt farewell to the SNL family. He said he loved working there and loved the people, and that his time at 30 Rock taught him to show up when things felt futile. He reflected on personal growth and the craft, noting that humans err and that comedy is largely about logistics, while expressing gratitude to colleagues, crews and staff. He thanked a long list of friends and collaborators and said he was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the show's culture. The post included thanks to Lorne Michaels for the job and for keeping the standard high, and Yang added that he hoped to return in some capacity one day, noting that "the show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, but s-iiiiit, I hope I am."
Yang joined SNL as a writer in 2018 before earning a promotion to the cast for Season 45. He quickly rose to prominence over seven seasons, earning repertory status ahead of Season 47 and garnering Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025.
His departure follows a summer exodus after Season 50, which saw Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker and Emil Wakim leave the cast. While the timing underscores a period of upheaval, Yang's exit had long been anticipated by fans, with the comedian having previously teased the possibility of leaving in recent months. In September, he spoke with People about a heart-to-heart with SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who told him there was more for him to do on the show.
An insider told the Daily Mail that Yang was actually prepared to leave earlier and almost did not return for this season, but Michaels asked him to stay on a little longer, and Yang obliged. The source added that Yang is ready to focus on his own projects outside SNL, including standup, television and film work, and that Wicked's ongoing success gave him momentum to hit the ground running.
Outside SNL, Yang has been a major force in pop culture thanks to his Las Culturistas podcast with Matt Rogers. He also starred on Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens from 2020 to 2023, and has film credits in Wicked and Wicked: For Good, Fire Island (2022), Dicks: The Musical (2023) and The Wedding Banquet (2025).
The shift in SNL's cast comes as the show awaits the possibility of a UK spinoff in 2026, a plan that insiders say is part of Lorne Michaels' effort to keep the franchise fresh and funny. With the departures of several midseason veterans, the show is looking to balance continuity with risk, aiming to maintain its status as a benchmark for sketch comedy while injecting new energy into the ensemble.
Yang's final SNL bow, this weekend's episode, will mark a turning point for the show as it continues to adapt to a rapidly changing late-night and streaming landscape. Fans are watching closely to see how the remaining cast and new additions will fill the space left by the departures and whether the upcoming season can recapture the vitality that has defined the program for decades.