With the autumn of the 2025 TV schedule rapidly approaching, it was solely a matter of time earlier than updates in regards to the Saturday Night time Reside Season 51 solid began to roll in. The truth is, SNL boss Lorne Michaels lately warned that information was coming, and longtime star Kenan Thompson previewed within the wake of Season 50 that modifications had been on the way in which to the present. Now, the primary solid minimize has been confirmed: Devon Walker is not going to return for Season 51.
Devon Walker joined Saturday Night time Reside as a featured participant in 2022, then landed the promotion to repertory solid member in time for the fiftieth anniversary season final 12 months. He introduced his departure on Instagram with the understated caption of “me and child broke up ❤️.” The actor went extra in-depth on one of many slides, writing:
To me, jobs on this business really feel like a bunch of little marriages. A few of ‘em final for a very long time if we’re fortunate, however most of them are fleeting. Everlasting till they’re not. That’s the deal. what it’s while you enroll. Me and the present did three years collectively, and generally it was actually cool. Typically it was poisonous as hell. However we did what we made probably the most of what it was, even amidst all the dysfunction. We made a fucked up lil household.
Mates and colleagues wasted no time in responding in his remark part, with former SNL costar Chloe Fineman writing “I’ll miss being your pregnant spouse on a regular basis!!!!!” and author Jimmy Fowlie expressing “i like you perpetually!” Abbott Elementary‘s Zack Fox expressed himself by way of emojis with this message: “🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽 🚀 🚀🚀.” Apple TV+’s Loot solid member Ron Funches added his two cents, writing “Onward and upwards. Congratulations on the good work.”
The silver lining to the unhealthy information comes by way of what Devon Walker clarified on his Instagram Story shortly after the information broke. He wrote [Edited for clarity]:
Simply to be clear, that is excellent news!! It was simply time for me to do one thing totally different. Please do not be hitting me with the ‘I am so sorry.’ We’re not on that in any respect. Typically mother and pa simply do not see issues eye to eye.
Walker made it clear that he wasn’t axed from Saturday Night time Reside with unhealthy blood behind him, and which will soften the blow of his exit for followers. It appears like he was able to go in some new instructions in his profession, together with the My Favourite Lyrics podcast that he hosts. He promised to speak about “the entire thing” on the podcast “someday quickly.” As for his full message about leaving SNL and the pictures he selected to commemorate his time there, have a look:
Devon Walker joined SNL as a part of the Season 48 solid, as one in all 4 newcomers alongside Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Michael Hernandez. Kearney introduced their departure forward of Season 50, whereas Longfellow and Hernandez had been nonetheless a part of the solid as of the Season 50 finale. Hernandez turned a fan favourite in late 2024 as Domingo in Ariana Grande’s viral “Bridesmaid Speech” sketch.
In response to the Saturday Night time Reside Community (by way of Deadline), Walker had the least screentime amongst solid members in Season 50. He is possible solely the primary of a number of solid departures who might be introduced within the coming days and weeks. If you wish to revisit any of his standout sketches over his years on SNL, you’ll find each season of the collection to this point streaming with a Peacock subscription now.
Season 51 of Saturday Night time Reside will premiere on Saturday, October 4 at 11:30 p.m. ET. It stays to be seen if different solid departures might be extra of the newer stars like Devon Walker, in simply his third 12 months on the present. Lorne Michaels did affirm that James Austin Johnson might be again to proceed his scary correct impersonation of President Donald Trump. I additionally really feel comfy saying that Kenan Thompson a minimum of will not be leaving Saturday Night time Reside till he is good and prepared, however solely time will inform.