![\"\u201cWicked:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/b03996e8413c55ebc5de92e7e92724a3a3-bowen-snl.rsquare.w400.jpg\")
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After eight years on the show, Bowen Yang is reportedly leaving Saturday Night Live in the middle of its current season. According to Variety<\/a>, this Saturday\u2019s episode<\/a>, hosted by Yang\u2019s Wicked co-star<\/a> Ariana Grande with musical guest Cher, is set to be Yang\u2019s last.<\/p>\n Yang joined SNL as a writer in 2018 and joined the cast as a featured player in 2019. Since then, he\u2019s become one of the show\u2019s biggest stars, earning four Emmy nominations. His departure comes at a time when the actor has seemingly never been busier. Yang continues to host the Las Culturistas podcast with Matt Rogers, and it was recently reported that the pair will write and star<\/a> in a movie about two friends trying to get into Berghain, the famous Berlin club. On top of that, Yang appeared\u00a0in both Wicked<\/a> movies, launched\u00a0his own awards show<\/a> on Bravo, and still managed to be on SNL almost every week.<\/p>\n Neither Yang nor SNL has addressed reports that he\u2019s leaving the show, but according to The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>, his departure was Yang\u2019s choice and did not come as a surprise. Representatives for Yang and NBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, SNL purged its cast of several fan-favorite performers. Ego Nwodim<\/a> and Heidi Gardner, both close friends of Yang\u2019s, left the show, along with Yang\u2019s frequent collaborator, writer Celeste Yim. They joined several of the show\u2019s cutest boys<\/a>, who seemingly had less of a say in their departure. Hopefully we get one last iconic \u201cWeekend Update\u201d character before Yang leaves for good.<\/p>\n Stay in touch.<\/p>\n Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily<\/p>\n Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice<\/p>\n