Saturday Night Live will look a lot different when it returns for its 43rd season later this year.
The long-running sketch comedy show suffered another major blow this week with the announcement of cast member Vanessa Bayer’s departure.
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Deadline reported that Bayer will leave SNL after spending 7 seasons on the show in which she portrayed many beloved characters such as Miley Cyrus, Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy, and the Best Friends (with Fred Armisen).
The news comes in the wake of fellow cast member Bobby Moynihan‘s departure. Moynihan is voicing one of the triplets in DuckTales for Disney XD and starring in a recently picked-up series for ABC called Me, Myself & I.
Bayer’s contract is up after this season ends but it’s unclear whether she’s being passed over for newer talent, a la Jay Pharaoh and Taran Killam, or if she’s moving on to different opportunities.
She has featured in films such as Office Christmas Party, Trainwreck, and Despicable Me 2, as well as popular shows like Man Seeking Woman, Portlandia, and Modern Family.
SNL saw its highest ratings in 23 years this season, partially due to the political season and its constant skewering of President Donald Trump with Alec Baldwin featuring prominently.
Tonight’s season finale features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the host with musical guest Katy Perry. It will be a sendoff for both Bayer and Moynihan.
Check out one of Bayer’s best skits from a recent episode, appearing as meteorologist Dawn Lazarus during the Weekend Update segment.
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NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images)
