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It’s … a new
season and a new cast of "Saturday
Night Live."
Long-running cast member Beck
Bennett, known for outlandish portrayals of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence,
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Senate Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell, and featured player Lauren Holt, one of three newcomers last
season, will not be returning to "SNL" this fall, NBC announced
Monday.
"Love you, SNL,"
Bennett wrote in an Instagram post Monday.
"Gonna miss you so much.
Thank you for 8 years of remarkable people and incredible
experiences that completely changed my life.
I had so much fun."
The rest of the cast –
including Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong, all
of whom were rumored to be weighing an exit from the sketch comedy
show – will be back.
Aristotle Athari,
James Austin Johnson and Sarah Sherman, will join as featured players, which
also includes last year's Andrew Dismukes and Punkie Johnson.
Bowen Yang and
Chloe Fineman, previously featured players, are promoted to the regular cast.
Yang received an Emmy nomination this year for his performances on
"SNL."
This season will
be the 18th for cast member Kenan Thomson. Earlier this year, that’s according USA TODAY, he doesn't know when he'll
leave the show, but would "love to get to 20" seasons.
"I feel like I'm very close to
that number
and that's a really cool sounding,
rounded, even number
," he said.
"At that point,
I might be able to let it go a little easier.
It's a very special place to me."
"SNL" returns
to NBC on Oct. 2 with "Loki" actor Owen Wilson and CMA-winner
Kacey Musgraves. Reality star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian West follows
on Oct. 9, paired with musical guest Halsey. Oscar winner Rami Malek will
host Oct. 16 and Grammy winner Young Thug (born Jeffery Lamar
Williams) will make his debut as show artist. Oct. 23 will be a homecoming
for Jason Sudeikis, who wrote and/or starred on "SNL"
from 2003 to 2013. Singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile will be the musical
act (her first time).
