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Devon Walker is leaving \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d <\/a>ahead of season 51.<\/p>\n While Walker, 34, didn\u2019t confirm whether he quit or got fired<\/b>, it\u2019s common for \u201cSNL\u201d to decide not to renew cast members\u2019 contracts between seasons. Taran Killam, Norm Macdonald, Chris Rock, and Adam Sandler are among the iconic \u201cSNL\u201d alums who\u2019ve been fired <\/a>from the sketch comedy show.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was kind of like them asking us to quit. There were new people at the network, and apparently they didn\u2019t like me and Chris [Farley], so they kind of said goodbye to us in a nice way,\u201d Sandler told The Hollywood Reporte<\/a>r of his \u201cSNL\u201d departure in January 2023.<\/p>\n Walker announced his \u201cSNL\u201d exit via Instagram<\/a> on Monday, August 25, and poked fun at the fact that fans might speculate about why he\u2019s leaving.<\/p>\n \u201cWait..did he quit or get fired?\u201d Walker titled a statement he typed up on TextEdit. Although the comedian didn\u2019t directly answer the question, he noted that \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d could be \u201ctoxic as hell\u201d sometimes.<\/p>\n \u201cMe and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool. Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But … we made the most of what it is, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f—ed up little family,\u201d he wrote. <\/p>\n Walker, who joined the cast of \u201cSNL\u201d for season 48 in 2022, added that most jobs in the entertainment industry are \u201cfleeting.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the deal,\u201d he wrote. \u201cYou know what it is when you sign up.\u201d<\/p>\n NJ.com has reached out to NBC for comment. <\/p>\n Whether he was fired or not, Walker called his \u201cSNL\u201d exit \u201cgood news\u201d for his career.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just time for me to do something different,\u201d he wrote via his Instagram Story. \u201cPlease don\u2019t be hitting me with the \u2018i\u2019m so sorry\u2019 we not on that AT ALL. Sometimes mom and dad just don\u2019t see things eye to eye.\u201d<\/p>\n Walker also teased that he\u2019ll share more details soon on his podcast, \u201cMy Favorite Lyrics.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/b>Who is the longest-running \u2018SNL\u2019 cast member?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Walker likely isn\u2019t the only person leaving before season 51. \u201cSNL\u201d creator Lorne Michaels hinted at a big cast shakeup during an interview with Puck News<\/a> earlier published last week.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be announced in a week or so,\u201d Michaels said, noting that he \u201cfelt pressure to reinvent\u201d after SNL\u2019s big 50th anniversary season<\/a>.<\/p>\n Season 51 of \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d premieres on NBC on Saturday, October 4. Past episodes are <\/b><\/i>available to stream on Peacock<\/b><\/i><\/a>.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to <\/i>NJ.com<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n Have a tip? Tell us at <\/i>nj.com\/tips\/<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement<\/a> and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and\/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n