As Saturday Night Live (SNL) gears up for its Season 51, boss Lorne Michaels has finally confirmed that big changes are on the way for the late-night sketch comedy show. After keeping the core cast intact for the 50th anniversary, Michaels now says a shake-up is unavoidable.

Lorne Michaels addresses SNL Season 51 cast shakeup rumors

Lorne Michaels has shared that there will be major cast changes when SNL Season 51 premieres on October 4. Puck News asked if he planned to “shake things up.” The 80-year-old showrunner said, “Yes.” Adding that he feels “pressure to reinvent this season” and promising that announcements will arrive “in a week or so.”

The only cast member whose return has been confirmed so far is James Austin Johnson, who will continue playing Donald Trump. Beyond that, Michaels has kept details under wraps, leading to speculation about who will stay and who may leave SNL.

Michaels explained that the 50th season was deliberately kept stable. “I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season],” he said. “And that meant there couldn’t be those kinds of disruptions or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season]. And we had an election.”

Now, for those curious to know who might not be part of the SNL Season 51 cast, Kenan Thompson, the show’s longest-serving star with 22 seasons, hinted months ago that the anniversary finale felt “bittersweet.” He told Page Six that it “feels like there’s maybe, possibly, a lot of change next year.”

Michael Che also hinted at leaving SNL at a stand-up set earlier this year. The Weekend Update co-anchor told the audience, “I’m not coming back, don’t worry. I’m done, it’s over for me.”

While Che has joked about leaving before, his statement has added to the uncertainty. For now, only one exit has already been confirmed. Devon Walker, the comic who joined SNL in 2022, announced on Instagram that he is leaving (via Syracuse).

With the premiere of Saturday Night Live Season 51 set for October 4th on NBC, all eyes will be on the official cast announcement to see which new faces will join the show and who will take their final bow.

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