Pete Davidson Is Leaving ‘Saturday Night Live’
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Pete Davidson is officially departing Saturday Night Live, Rolling Stone has learned. The comedian has been a cast member for eight seasons. Davidson is expected to reveal his departure from the program this weekend. Saturday’s show, which features Russian Doll star Natasha Lyonne as host and musical guest Japanese Breakfast, the Season 47 finale.
A rep for SNL and Pete Davidson did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment.
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Davidson joined SNL in 2014 as a feature player at the age of 20, making him one of the youngest cast members in the show’s 47-year history. He was a relative unknown at the time. His star power grew as he appeared on the show, moving from featured player to full-time “Not Ready for Primetime” cast member, and appearing on “Weekend Update” segments, delivering impersonations (New York governor Andrew Cuomo, Rami Malek) and participated in more sketches. Davidson also appeared as the beloved recurring character Chad, and would frequently star in SNL‘s often music-related shorts.
He has also become famous for the women he’s dated — including current partner Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande, to whom he was once engaged.
Davidson addressed his relationship with SNL during a 2020 interview with Charlamagne Tha God, stating the way he was treated on-set often affected his desire to remain a part of the cast. “I personally think I should be done with that show, because they make fun of me on it,” he said. “I’m, like, cold open, like political punchlines. I’m like, ‘Weekend Update’ jokes. When I’m not there, they’ll be like, ‘Ha ha, but Pete’s a fucking jerkface.’ And you’re like, ‘Whose side are you on?’ I have a weird feeling in that building where I don’t know whose team they’re playing for, really — if I’m the joke, or if I’m in on the joke.”
Davidson also revealed he often spoke with former cast members about eventually leaving the show. “It’s a hard thing to do, because you don’t ever want to pull the trigger too early,” he said. “Everybody’s always been like, ‘You’ll know when you know, and it’ll all be all right.'”
While Davidson is departing SNL, his relationship with SNL showrunner and creator Lorne Michaels is expected to continue via Broadway Video, the production company behind the sketch comedy series, as Variety reports. Davidson’s new streaming series, Bupkis, which he stars in as well as serves as cowriter and executive producer, is also executive produced by Lorne Michaels, Andrew Singer and Erin David of Broadway Video. Bupkis is expected to air on NBC’s Peacock.
Additional reporting by Jodi Guglielmi
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