Saturday Night Live’s 51 season wraps up this Saturday, May 16, with Will Ferrell hosting and Paul McCartney as the musical guest. As the finale approaches, fans are anxious about who will stay and who might be leaving.

The cast still includes long-standing stalwarts like Kenan Thompson, now in his 23rd season, and Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che, each with a dozen seasons under their belts. Jost began as a writer in 2005 and moved to the cast and Update desk in 2014, succeeding Seth Meyers.

Other veteran performers include Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, and Marcello Hernandez. Recently promoted featured players such as Ben Marshall, Ashley Padilla, and Jeremy Culhane have also made their marks.

Rumors about departures swirl, especially since Bowen Yang left in December after the Ariana Grande/Cher episode. Speculation continues that Jost and Che may be on their way out, fueled in part by Jost’s increased presence in cold opens, notably portraying Pete Hegseth. 

Fans will be watching Saturday’s finale for answers.

Some fans are urging that Marshall and Culhane step into the Weekend Update roles should Colin Jost and Michael Che depart. Both have emerged as season standouts. 

Culhane has gained attention for his Update bits spoofing Tucker Carlson, while Marshall has won over audiences with his distinctive comedic voice, including a standout sketch with Finn Wolfhard parodying Heated Rivalry.

Others speculate that Fineman and Day might depart as well, both also longtime cast members who seem to have been featured less this season.

Fans also want Martin Herlihy, a current SNL Writer and member of Please Don’t Destroy, to be promoted to a cast member. Overall, it looks like a very mixed bag of who’s going to leave and who’s going to stick around!

What do you think? Do you think longtime cast members are going to depart? Let us know your Fan of View below or DM @fandomdaily_ !

Photo credit: NBC