Ego Nwodim announced Friday that she is leaving Saturday Night Live after seven seasons, a surprise exit that comes amid a broad cast overhaul as the long-running sketch show prepares for Season 51.
In an Instagram story, Nwodim wrote, "The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL." She thanked creator Lorne Michaels, her castmates, writers and crew, and asked fans to "invite me to your weddings please!!!"
Nwodim's announcement followed an onslaught of roster changes revealed this month as producers prepared for the Oct. 4 premiere of Season 51. NBC had included Nwodim on an official list of returning cast members posted earlier in the week, but several other long-tenured and newer performers were confirmed to be departing or were already cut by the network.
Among those recently let go were Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim and Devon Walker, a string of exits that has been characterized in press reports as part of a concerted effort by Michaels to refresh the ensemble. The network's published roster for the coming season still lists several veterans, including Kenan Thompson, Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang and Mikey Day, as well as Weekend Update anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost. Other names on the list include Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline.
The cast shuffle also affected members of the comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy. Writer and occasional performer John Higgins has left the show, Ben Marshall has moved out of the writers' room to join the on-air cast as a featured player, and Martin Herlihy will remain on staff as a writer, according to reporting on the changes.
Producers have added new performers for Season 51, with Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane and Kam Patterson announced as additions to the ensemble. The shake-up follows comments by those close to the show indicating Michaels has signaled a desire to remake the roster as he scales back his longer-term involvement with the series.
Nwodim, 37, had been a regular presence on SNL for seven seasons. In her Instagram post she described her time on the show as a period of intense professional growth and expressed gratitude for the opportunity and the relationships she formed with colleagues. She did not outline specific future plans in the message.
The departures and additions mark one of the more significant personnel changes for the show in recent years as SNL, which has aired since 1975, approaches another season under Michaels's stewardship. The network and the show have not released additional comment on Nwodim's exit beyond her social post and the previously circulated cast list.
Season 51 is scheduled to begin airing Oct. 4.