Saturday Night Live hit its 50th anniversary last season, which was followed by an eventful summer. As fans awaited the show's return, they learned that creator Lorne Michaels was in fact coming back for Season 51. In the meantime, several cast members either were let go or left voluntarily: long-time veterans Ego Nwodim and Heidi Gardner, John Higgins, Emil Wakim, Devon Walker, and Michael Longfellow. Also, a handful of comedians joined the cast: Ben Marshall (a step up from exclusively being on "Please Don't Destroy"), Veronika Slowikowska, Kam Patterson, Jeremy Culhane, and Tommy Brennan. In December 2025, Bowen Yang announced his exit.