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Pete Davidson Leaving ‘SNL’ After Seven Seasons, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney Also Exiting
"Saturday Night Live" breakout turned Internet boyfriend Pete Davidson will leave the sketch comedy series ahead of Season 48.

Pete Davidson Leaving ‘SNL’ After Seven Seasons, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney Also Exiting

Update, 5:51 p.m. ET: Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney are also parting ways with “Saturday Night Live” ahead of Season 48. Creator Lorne Michaels previously hinted that this year would be a “year of change” for the live sketch comedy series, as reported by Deadline. The final May 21 episode with these cast members will include a group goodbye with “Russian Doll” star Natasha Lyonne hosting.

Season 47 featured the largest “SNL” cast to date with 21 stars and eight cast members. McKinnon marks a decade with “SNL” since becoming a major breakout star from the sketch series. McKinnon went on to appear in scene-stealing turns in “Bombshell,” Peacock series “Joe vs. Carole,” and upcoming “Barbie.” Bryant, who also joined “SNL” in 2012, starred in critically acclaimed Hulu series “Shrill,” and Mooney had roles in “Arrested Development” and “Spree.” Mooney was part of the “SNL” ensemble since 2013.

Earlier, Published May 20, 4:50 p.m. ET: Pete Davidson has some Big Departure Energy.

The “Saturday Night Live” breakout is set to leave the NBC sketch comedy series ahead of Season 48. The May 21 episode with Natasha Lyonne hosting will be his final appearance as a full-time cast member on the hit live series after seven seasons, a source with knowledge of the decision confirmed to IndieWire.

Davidson joined “SNL” in 2014 as a featured player at the age of 20, making him one of the youngest cast members in the show’s almost half-century history. Davidson will continue to have a relationship with Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video, the production company behind “SNL,” as Davidson is set to write, executive produce, and star in the new Peacock series “Bupkis” under the banner.

Michaels, Andrew Singer, and Erin David of Broadway Video will also executive produce the series, as distributed by Universal Television. “Bupkis” is billed as a “Curb Your Enthusiasm”-type meta-comedy series about the life of Davidson; “Sopranos” matriarch Edie Falco will play Davidson’s mother.

Davidson appeared at the NBCUniversal Upfronts presentation earlier this week, telling attendees that he is excited to be a part of the NBCU streamer family.

“I can’t believe we are going to be on Peacock, the streamer that is responsible for so so many great shows like ‘MacGruber’ and the reruns of ‘The Office,'” Davidson said, before adding, “I’m here so the media will finally start paying attention to me.”

Davidson made his big-screen debut with “Big Time Adolescence” before co-writing “The King of Staten Island” with Judd Apatow. He will appear in “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and “Good Mourning,” both out this year, with previous titles “I Want You Back,” “Marmaduke,” and a stint on the TV series “The Rookie” already released in 2022.

Prior to announcing his departure, Davidson’s “SNL” schedule has been flexible due to filming multiple films. Davidson skipped the first three episodes of Season 45 to film “The Suicide Squad” and also was absent for the latter portion of this past season to film retirement community thriller “The Home.”

Up next, Davidson stars opposite Kaley Cuoco in rom-com “Meet Cute” and is in pre-production on “Wizards!” Naomi Scott co-leads the A24 and Plan B film, written and directed by David Michôd, about two beach bartenders who find stolen loot. “Bupkis” was also given a series order at Peacock.

Tony Maglio contributed reporting.