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NEED TO KNOW
Bowen Yang is leaving Saturday Night Live
He joined the sketch comedy show in 2019, becoming the first Chinese-American cast member
In April 2025, the comedian said that he would grow out of the show "at some point"
Bowen Yang'sSaturday Night Liverun has come to an end.
In December 2025, multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE that theEmmy-nominated comedian willleave the showmid-season. Representatives for Yang andSNLdid not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Yang joined the sketch comedy series in 2019 during season 45 as the first Chinese-American cast member. He was also one of theSNL's first openly gay stars. In 2021, he made show history again as thefirst featured playerto be nominated for an acting award, earning an Emmy nomination for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
"I owe a lot of my life to that show," Yang told PEOPLE in September 2025. "And I love working there, the people are the best. I really love each of them so much."
So, why is Bown Yang leavingSaturday Night Live? Here's everything to know about his exit.
Why is Yang leavingSaturday Night Live?
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Yang has not commented on the reasoning behind hisSNLexit. Though theWickedactor told PEOPLE in a September 2025 interview that he worried audiences may be "getting sick" of him, he said creatorLorne Michaelseased his fears going into season 51.
"He was like, 'That's not true. There's more for you to do. I need you,' " Yang said.
Though a mid-season exit isn't common, theLas Culturistaspodcast host isn't the first cast member to do so.Cecily Strong,Molly Shannon,Dana CarveyandEddie Murphyhave also leftSNLin the middle of the season, perVariety.
When is Yang's lastSaturday Night Liveepisode?
Rosalind O'Connor/NBC via Getty
Yang's final episode as anSNLcast member will air on Dec. 20.
Ariana Grande, the comedian's close friend andWickedcostar, is set to host thefinal show of the year.Cheris performing as a musical guest.
On Dec. 19, Yang appeared alongside Grande and Cher in a promo video for the episode, which was shared on the show'sInstagramaccount.
What has Yang said about leavingSaturday Night Live?
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Though Yang hasn't commented on his exit, he did open up about his future onSNLmonths before the news broke.
"I've always gone by the instinct of, do I have more to do? And I feel like I do," he told PEOPLE in September 2025 when asked why he doesn't have a specific time frame for leaving the sketch comedy series. "Even Lorne and I talked about it, and Lorne was like, 'You have more to do,' and that means a lot."
Yang also addressed his thoughts on stepping away from the show in an April 2025 interview with PEOPLE, citing the demanding production schedule.
"The new season ofSNL,I'm just like, 'Oh, right. My time isn't my own.' And I tell my friends, 'I'm not going to really see you guys until June,' " he said.
He continued, "That inevitably requires me to sort of hang it up at some point — but I don't know what the vision is yet."
Who else has left theSaturday Night Livecast recently?
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic ; Chris Haston/WBTV via Getty ; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
Ahead ofSNL's 51st season,multiple cast membersannounced their exits, includingHeidi Gardner,Michael Longfellow,Emil Wakim,Devon Walker,Josh HigginsandEgo Nwodim.
At the time, Yang told PEOPLE that he was "absolutely" emotional to learn that his costars were leaving, but added that he thought ofSNLas a "boot camp."
"That implies that there is a next phase you train for something else," he added. "It's always a transitional place, and I think it is always a launching pad. Even for people who stay on the show, likeKenan [Thompson]... I think that's going to be true for all of the people who aren't coming back. I'm so excited to see what they do. I'm excited for the new cast."
Read the original article onPeople
