Bowen Yang has officially bid farewell to the “Saturday Night Live” stage.
The 35-year-old comedian appeared in an emotional goodbye sketch with “SNL” host and his “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande, in which the pair sang a tearful rendition of “Please Come Home For Christmas,” after he shocked fans earlier Saturday by announcing it would be his final show.
“I just feel so lucky that I ever got to work here and I just wanted to enjoy it a little bit longer, especially the people,” Yang said in the final sketch of Saturday’s Christmas show, where he appeared in character as a Delta airline worker making eggnog on his final day on the job.
“I have loved every single person who works here because they have done so much for me, especially my boss. I just wanted to say. . . any success I have after this will be thanks to this place.”
The “Fire Island” funnyman, who has been booked and busy in recent years, joined the Lorne Michaels-created show for Season 45 in 2019, but left fans shocked Saturday morning when he confirmed reports he was ending his seven-season run.
His abrupt departure comes just months after a handful of other popular cast members, including Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim, also exited the sketch comedy series before season 51 premiered on Oct. 4.
“I loved working at SNL, and most of all i loved the people. i was there at a time when many things in the world started to seem futile, but working at 30 rock taught me the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwhile,” Yang said on Instagram Saturday.
“I’m grateful for every minute of my time there. i learned about myself (bad with wigs). i learned about others (generous, vulnerable, hot). i learned that human error can be nothing but correct.”
Yang, who has co-hosted the widely popular “Las Culturistas” podcast with Matt Rogers since 2016, has publicly alluded to departing the long-running show over the past few months.
He told People in April that the late-night show was “this growing, living thing where new people come in and you do have to sort of make way for them and to grow and to keep elevating themselves.”
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