Pete Davidson is finally leaving Saturday Night Live
After infrequent appearances during season 47, Davidson will say goodbye to Studio 8H
After eight years on the show, Pete Davidson will be leaving Saturday Night Live after the conclusion of the current season, according to a Variety report on Friday.
Personality wise, it’s a major loss for the show: Davidson is one of the biggest names to come out of SNL in the last decade, as much (or more) because of his high-profile relationships (Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande in particular) as for his comedy.
It’s not a loss that is likely to be felt too deeply, though, as the comedian has probably missed more episodes than he’s actually appeared in over the last few seasons. He’s frequently been absent from Studio 8H while filming other projects, so at this point, it really does make more sense for him to take a bow.
Frankly, Davidson seems to have had one foot out the door for years now. In 2021, he told The Hollywood Reporter he was “ready to hang up the jersey.” And speaking with Charlamagne tha God in early 2020, he said, “I personally think I should be done with that show because they make fun of me on it.”
So while his inevitable exit is far from a surprise, what’s more shocking is that SNL boss Lorne Michaels finally let him go. Loyalty to the legendary producer, whom Davidson has referred to as a “father figure,” apparently kept him tied to the show, and Michaels was reportedly encouraging long-running cast members to stick it out through the series’ 50th anniversary in 2024.
Of course, it’s probably a lot easier for Michaels to say goodbye knowing he’s keeping Davidson in the family. The duo will be collaborating on Davidson’s upcoming autobiographical comedy Bupkis, which is being produced by Michaels’ Broadway Video and will air on Peacock, safely within the realm of NBCUniversal. So even though it’s the end of an era, it’s also the beginning of a new chapter… one which doesn’t sound too different from the last chapter, if we’re honest.