Another Saturday Night Live veteran has jumped ship amid the ongoing cast shake-up that has already seen four members axed.

Creator Lorne Michaels had warned fans of a roster revamp, with multiple cast members expected to be cut ahead of Season 51, which kicks off on October 4.

‘Lorne doesn’t have many more years he wants to do SNL,’ an insider exclusively told the Daily Mail. ‘He wants to make it funny again.’

Fans were quick to react after Heidi Gardner, a beloved veteran of eight years, was let go, following the recent exits of Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim and Devon Walker.

Now, in an Instagram story posted this morning, Ego Nwodim revealed she has decided to leave the show after seven seasons. 

Her announcement comes just days after NBC had seemingly finalized the SNL cast for the upcoming season — with Ego still listed.

Another Saturday Night Live veteran has jumped ship amid the ongoing cast shake-up that has already seen four members axed

Now, in an Instagram Story posted this morning, Ego Nwodim revealed she has decided to leave the show after seven seasons

‘The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,’ the 37-year-old comedian wrote. 

‘But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL. 

‘I am immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always. 

‘Now invite me to your weddings please!!!’

Ego’s exit comes as a shock given that her name was included in NBC’s official list of returning cast members for the new season on Monday.

The cast list features longtime favorite Kenan Thompson, Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, and Weekend Update anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost, as well as Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Ashley Padilla, and Jane Wickline.

Meanwhile, the Please Don’t Destroy trio will no longer appear on screen together. 

Writer and occasional performer John Higgins has left the show, Ben Marshall has stepped out of the writers’ room to join the cast as a featured player, and Martin Herlihy remains on staff as a writer.

‘The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,’ the 37-year-old comedian wrote

‘But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL,’ Ego continued

New additions to the cast this season include Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, and Kam Patterson, signaling yet another major shake-up for SNL as it heads into Season 51. 

Ego first stepped onto the stage as a featured player for Season 44 in 2018, earning a promotion to the repertory cast by Season 46 in 2020. 

Before making her mark on live television, she honed her comedy chops with Upright Citizens Brigade.

Since joining SNL, Ego has expanded her resume with roles in Mr. Throwback and films such as Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and Good Burger 2. 

She is set to appear next in Netflix’s comedy Little Brother, starring alongside John Cena, Eric André, Michelle Monaghan and Christopher Meloni.

Her sudden departure leaves a notable gap: unless NBC adds another cast member, Season 51 will mark the first SNL season without a Black female performer since Sasheer Zamata broke new ground in 2014.

Over the years, Ego became the seventh Black woman in the show’s history, following trailblazers like Maya Rudolph, Leslie Jones, and Punkie Johnson — making her exit a striking milestone in the show’s evolving legacy.

The recent cast changes are said to partly be tied to plans for an SNL UK spinoff in 2026, with Lorne intent on keeping the original series as the benchmark for sketch comedy.

Heidi Gardner left the show after an impressive eight-season run (pictured in February)

It was revealed that beloved performers Emil Wakim (left), Michael Longfellow (right) and Devon Walker (center) would not be returning

‘So these changes for Lorne are to see if he’s still got it,’ an insider told the Daily Mail. ‘And to make sure that SNL is funny and groundbreaking for years to come.’

The source added that he ‘needs to add some gasoline to the fire, and even though there will still be familiar names, he wants to mix it up and bring in a brand-new set of cast members, because that adds to the fun of it all’.

Auditions are ongoing, and while the process may feel cutthroat, the insider emphasized that upheavals like this are normal at SNL – though they haven’t happened on this scale in some time.

‘There are still a few more surprises—more people will be leaving, and they are still looking to cast and get new writers,’ the insider continued.

‘Lorne felt that he and the show had been on autopilot for a few years, and it is now time to be very funny again.’

He is said to want the series to take more risks and bring back some ‘grit’.