Cecily Strong Announces Saturday Night Live Exit

Another longtime cast member has left Saturday Night Live. On Saturday night, ahead of the new episode hosted by Austin Butler, it was revealed by the show that Cecily Strong is making her exit. The announcement was made on Twitter with an image of a whiteboard featuring the phrase, “We’ll miss you, Cecily!”

The tweet adds, “Tonight we send off one of the best to ever do it. We’ll miss you, Cecily!”

On the show, Strong appeared as her Cathy Anne character for the Weekend Update segment with Colin Jost and Michael Che. As Cathy Anne, the character bids farewell to Jost and Che, noting that she’s going away to prison. This has a double purpose as it also serves as a way for Strong to say goodbye to her friends at SNL, and it was clearly emotional as she even broke character by choking up.

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In character, Strong said, “Everybody has to go to jail at some point, right? It’s just my time now. But I had a lot of fun here, and I feel really lucky that I got to have so many of the best moments of my life in this place with these people that I love so much.”

Strong also capped off her final show by performing “Blue Christmas” with Elvis actor Austin Butler as the cast said farewell to the longtime performer.

The news that Strong is leaving the sketch comedy series comes as her schedule outside SNL fills up, likely playing into her decision to exit. She currently co-stars in the Apple TV series Schmigadoon!, which was renewed for a second season; she also co-produces the series. Strong has also been cast for the upcoming Garfield reboot that’s in the works alongside Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, and SNL co-star Bowen Yang.

Related: Martin Short Is Scrooge in SNL’s Bloody Parody of A Christmas Carol

Saturday Night Live Lost Many Cast Members Ahead of the Season

NBC

Many other cast members also recently left the series, the others making a mass exodus ahead of the current season. This included many longtime performers, as it was announced that leaving the show was Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Moody, Alex Moffat, Melissa Villasenor, and Aristotle Athari. Just ahead of the new season’s arrival, Chris Redd also made his exit from the show.

However, the show goes on, as it always has. Saturday Night Live will return in 2023, and you can stream Strong’s final episode, featuring Austin Butler and Lizzo, on Peacock.

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