Kenan Thompson Says He ‘Definitely’ Thinks About Leaving ‘SNL’: ‘It’s Gonna Suck’

Kenan Thompson recently told People that he “definitely” thinks about leaving “Saturday Night Live” and fears saying goodbye is “gonna suck.” Thompson has been on “SNL” since 2003.

“There’s just so many layers to it. It’s not just the on-screen that you see in that one, you know, camera shot,” Thompson said. “It’s so many people behind the scenes and years and years and years with each one of those people. So it’s gonna be a lot.”

He then joked, “I might have to just rip the bandaid and run out the back door and not say nothing to nobody and just write letters.”

As “SNL’s” longest tenured cast member, Thompson has seen plenty of his co-stars come and go. He said it is “usually always sad” when someone leaves the show. “SNL” Season 51 saw the departures of several long-time cast members, with the most recent exit being Bowen Yang.

“It’s tough for me because I have yet to have the moment,” Thompson said. “You know, if I was on the other side of it, I’d be a little more like, ‘Yeah, you know, it’s all good,’ like, ‘Shake it off’ kind of thing. But, like, I’m dreading the moment. I might collapse in the moment because it’s been so many years and so many relationships and just…”

He continued, “That’s gonna be a drastic change at this point that I never thought, you know, ‘SNL’ would be such a large component in my life. I never thought I’d even get the job in the first place.”

Back in May of 2025, Thompson hinted at the major cast shakeup in Season 51. Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow and Emil Wakim all left before the season kicked off, with Yang being the last to leave partway through.

“Especially this year where it feels like there’s maybe, possibly, a lot of change next year,” Thompson told Page Six. “You want everyone to stay forever, knowing that people may be making decisions this summer…it’s always like you want your kids to stay young.”

A smattering of fresh faces joined “SNL” for Season 51, including Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska. Of the new additions, “SNL” mastermind Lorne Michaels told Entertainment Tonight, “Change is good. The people we’re bringing in, I’m really excited about.”