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Another one bites the dust.

Ego Nwodim has announced her exit from “Saturday Night Live” after seven years. The news comes as several other cast members have left the NBC variety show ahead of Season 51.

“The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave ‘SNL,'” Nwodim, 37, posted via her Instagram on Friday.


  Ego Nwodim arrives to the Marc Jacobs 2026 fashion show at New York Public Library on June 30, 2025, in New York City. GC Images Ego Nwodim arrives to the Marc Jacobs 2026 fashion show at New York Public Library on June 30, 2025, in New York City. GC Images

  Ego Nwodim and host Quinta Brunson on the May 3, 2025, episode. Will Heath/NBC Ego Nwodim and host Quinta Brunson on the May 3, 2025, episode. Will Heath/NBC

  Ego Nwodim’s Instagram post. eggyboom/Instagram Ego Nwodim’s Instagram post. eggyboom/Instagram

She thanked longtime “SNL” mastermind Lorne Michaels, 80, “for the opportunity” and thanked the cast, crew and writers “for their brilliance, support and friendship.” 

The comedian concluded her message by writing, “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.” 

After a praying hands and kiss emoji, she signed off, “now invite me to your weddings please!,” seemingly to her fellow castmates. 

Fellow comedian Amber Ruffin replied in a comment, “Congratulations! As long as I can still watch you perform, I’m good.” 


  Heidi Gardner, Bowen Yang, Chloe Fineman, host Scarlett Johansson, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman and Mikey Day during the monologue on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images Heidi Gardner, Bowen Yang, Chloe Fineman, host Scarlett Johansson, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman and Mikey Day during the monologue on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images

  Ego Nwodim during the “Clothing Ad” sketch on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Caro Scarimbolo/NBC via Getty Images Ego Nwodim during the “Clothing Ad” sketch on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Caro Scarimbolo/NBC via Getty Images

According to Deadline, Nwodim made her decision to leave after it was believed the Season 51 cast was already set ahead of the show’s October return.

“SNL” has recently shed several cast members, including Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim and Devon Walker

Among the exits, “SNL” alum Punkie Johnson commented, “wtf is happening… This is like the departed.”

Longfellow reportedly got the grim news that he wouldn’t be returning when he was at a Utah airport waiting for a flight. In his Aug. 28 social media post about his exit, he said he “won’t be returning,” “Wish I was but, so it goes.”


  Ego Nwodim at A Seat at the Table: New York Hosted by Emma Grede on Sept. 10, 2025, in New York City. Getty Images for Emma Grede Ego Nwodim at A Seat at the Table: New York Hosted by Emma Grede on Sept. 10, 2025, in New York City. Getty Images for Emma Grede

  Sarah Sherman and Ego Nwodim during a sketch on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Holland Rainwater/NBC Sarah Sherman and Ego Nwodim during a sketch on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Holland Rainwater/NBC

Walker, meanwhile, called the show “toxic as hell” during an interview with Variety published on Sept. 3.

“If you read about the show, if you’re knowledgeable about it at all, you can certainly pick up on things that are toxic about it,” Walker, 34, said. “The show hasn’t changed much in all the years they’ve been doing it,” he said, referring to how “SNL” first premiered in 1975. “There are things that went down on the show that I wouldn’t talk about for free. There are a lot of things I’m still trying to find the right avenue to go into detail about.”

Walker noted that he thinks “SNL” could use a “measure of humanity.”


  Ego Nwodim at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, Calif., on June 2, 2025. Todd Williamson/NBC Ego Nwodim at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, Calif., on June 2, 2025. Todd Williamson/NBC

  Heidi Gardner, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernandez, Sabrina Carpenter and Ego Nwodim during a sketch on Feb. 16, 2025. Theo Wargo/NBC Heidi Gardner, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernandez, Sabrina Carpenter and Ego Nwodim during a sketch on Feb. 16, 2025. Theo Wargo/NBC

On Aug. 28, The Post confirmed that Heidi Gardner was also leaving the show after eight years. Gardner had been the longest-tenured current female cast member before news emerged that her contract was not renewed, an insider exclusively told The Post, noting that it was “time for a new cast.”

Alum Dana Carvey, who returned to “SNL” last season to play Joe Biden, shared some information about Gardner’s exit from the show on a recent episode of his “Fly on the Wall” podcast.

“From what I know as of this recording, that it was not her idea to leave,” Carvey, 70, claimed to co-host and fellow “SNL” alum David Spade at the time.

“I think she’s got a likability,” Carvey noted. “She can play real, straight newswoman, she can play big, brawn, funny, physical. So I was surprised by that.”


  Ego Nwodim at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, Calif., on June 2, 2025. Todd Williamson/NBC Ego Nwodim at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, Calif., on June 2, 2025. Todd Williamson/NBC

  James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump and Ego Nwodim as Harris Faulkner during the Fox Interview Cold Open on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Will Heath/NBC James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump and Ego Nwodim as Harris Faulkner during the Fox Interview Cold Open on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Will Heath/NBC

On Sept. 2, “SNL” also announced that it added five cast members, including “Please Don’t Destroy” comedian Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska. 

Nwodim, who has appeared in other shows such as Peacock’s “Poker Face,”  started on “SNL” in 2018, ahead of Season 44, and was promoted to repertory player before Season 46. 

She wrote and performed in many popular sketches such as Miss Eggy. The real-life people she played included Dionne Warwick and Jada Pinkett-Smith. 

During her Miss Eggy sketch in April, there was a call-and-response segment, where the audience shouted curses on live TV. 

When her character yelled, “These men ain’t what?” the audience replied, “sh-t!” 


  Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim and anchor Michael Che during Weekend Update on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Will Heath / NBC via Getty Images Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim and anchor Michael Che during Weekend Update on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Will Heath / NBC via Getty Images

  Chloe Fineman, Ego Nwodim and Ashley Padilla during a sketch on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Will Heath/NBC Chloe Fineman, Ego Nwodim and Ashley Padilla during a sketch on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Will Heath/NBC

“Weekend Update” anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che were visibly surprised. 

Nwodim improved on the fly, and told the crowd, “We’re finna get fired for that. Y’all gonna have to pay for that, Lorne’s gonna be mad at y’all.”

She also went viral for playing the character Lisa from Temecula, a lawyer who overcooks meat. 

After the five new additions, the “SNL” cast will consist of 17 people for Season 51. 

The returning cast includes Colin Jost, Kenan Thompson, Mikey Day, Michael Che, Bowen Yang, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, and Sarah Sherman, as well as featured players Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline.

“SNL” Season 51 premieres Oct. 4 on NBC.

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