Bowen Yang bids farewell to 'Saturday Night Live' after 6 years

The Yang will leave the NBC show midway through its 51st season. The final episode is to air on December 20. According to multiple reports. Representatives for SNL and Yang have not yet commented.

Yang joined SNL in 2018 as a writer before quickly transitioning to on-camera roles, eventually becoming one of the show’s breakout cast members. Known for his sharp social satire and viral characters, he built a devoted following and helped modernise the show’s comedic voice.

His exit followed a wave of changes in the cast in this season. Ego Nwodim and Heidi Gardner departed ahead of the fall premiere, while Michael Longfellow and Emil Wakim also stepped away, signalling a broader reset for the veteran series.

Beyond SNL, Yang has been expanding his career across film and audio. He recently appeared in and will return in Wicked: Part Two. His podcast, Las Culturistas, co-hosted with Matt Rogers, has grown into a pop culture staple with its own televised awards show.

Yang’s final episode will coincide with Wicked co-star Ariana Grande hosting the show, with Cher serving as the musical guest, a notable pairing given Yang’s long-standing admiration for the pop icon.