Saturday Night Live<\/a> is making a lot of changes to the cast for season 51.<\/p>\n Showrunner Lorne Michaels<\/strong> teased that there would be a casting shakeup<\/a> following the variety show\u2019s milestone 50th season.<\/p>\n \u201cLast season, when we were at the party of the first show, quarter of four in the morning, Dana<\/strong> [Carvey<\/strong>, who played Joe Biden<\/strong>] comes over to me and says, \u2018I don\u2019t think anyone knows you called me June 4th [to play Biden].\u2019 I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season],\u201d Michaels said in an August 24 interview with Puck. \u201cSo when Kate<\/strong> [McKinnon<\/strong>] hosted, Kristen<\/strong> [Wiig<\/strong>] and Maya<\/strong> [Rudolph<\/strong>] came back for it. And that meant there couldn\u2019t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season]. And we had an election.\u201d<\/p>\n Michaels stated that casting news would be coming soon and confirmed that James Austin Johnson<\/strong> would return. The following day, Devon Walker<\/strong> was the first cast member to announce his departure<\/a>. His post included a photo of him behind the scenes with the caption, \u201cMe and baby broke up \u2764\ufe0f.\u201d<\/p>\n SNL season 51<\/a> will premiere on NBC Saturday, October 4.<\/p>\n Keep scrolling to see who is returning \u2014 and who\u2019s not \u2014 for SNL season 51:<\/p>\n James Austin Johnson<\/span> TheStewartofNY\/WireImage<\/span><\/p>\n Michaels confirmed to Puck on August 24 that Johnson would continue his Donald Trump<\/strong> impression for season 51. Johnson has not addressed his return.<\/p>\n Devon Walker<\/span> Taylor Hill\/FilmMagic<\/span><\/p>\n Walker announced his SNL departure after three seasons via Instagram<\/a> on August 25. In the slideshow, the comedian included a message to fans titled, \u201cWait \u2026 did he quit or did he get fired?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of em last for a long time if we\u2019re lucky, but most of them are fleeting,\u201d Walker wrote. \u201cPermanent until they\u2019re not. That\u2019s the deal. You know what it is when you sign up.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cMe and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool. Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But \u2026 we made the most of what it was, even amidst all the dysfunction. We made a f***ed up lil family.\u201d<\/p>\n Emil Wakim<\/span> Taylor Hill\/FilmMagic<\/span><\/p>\n After Walker\u2019s shocking announcement, Wakim shared that he would not be coming back to the show following his first season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a gut punch of a call to get but I\u2019m so grateful for my time there,\u201d Wakim reflected via Instagram<\/a> on August 27. \u201cI was at Six Flags celebrating my friend\u2019s 36th birthday and went on a really emotional walk through Bugs Bunny Park and stared out across Daffy Duck Lake thinking about life.\u201d<\/p>\n Wakim also expressed his gratitude for the experience.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time I scanned into the building I would think how insane it is to get to work there. It was the most terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding experience of my life and I will miss it dearly and all the brilliant people that work there that made it feel like a home. Thank u to Lorne for taking a chance on me and changing my life,\u201d he continued. \u201cI was so lucky to bring some of myself in there and say things I believed in and I\u2019m excited for whatever chapter comes next. Here\u2019s to making more art without compromise.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Longfellow<\/span> Taylor Hill\/FilmMagic<\/span><\/p>\n Deadline reported on August 28 that Longfellow was exiting SNL<\/a> after three seasons. Longfellow has not addressed his departure.<\/p>\n TheStewartofNY\/WireImage<\/span><\/p>\n News broke on August 28 that Gardner would not be returning<\/a> for season 51 after starring on the series for eight years. Gardner did not immediately comment on the news.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nJames Austin Johnson \u2014 Returning<\/h2>\n
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Devon Walker \u2014 Leaving<\/h2>\n
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Emil Wakim \u2014 Leaving<\/h2>\n
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Michael Longfellow \u2014 Leaving<\/h2>\n
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Heidi Garnder \u2014 Leaving<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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