It’s the end of an era at Studio 8H, and honestly, we aren’t ready. After days of rumors swirling through the halls of 30 Rock, Bowen Yang finally confirms he is making his exit from the iconic sketch show, Saturday Night Live. The news dropped just ahead of the December 20, 2025, Christmas episode, leaving fans reeling as one of the show’s most unique voices prepares for his final “goodnight.”
Taking to Instagram to share the news, Yang posted a sentimental carousel of photos, offering a deep dive into his seven-year journey. “i loved working at SNL, and most of all i loved the people,” Yang wrote in his heartfelt tribute. He reflected on the strange timing of his tenure, noting, “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.”
During his time on the show, Yang moved from the writers’ room to becoming a breakout star with legendary characters like the Titanic Iceberg and Chen Biao. He didn’t shy away from the humor of his growth either, jokingly adding, “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.”
Meanwhile, his departure feels like a “dreamy” full-circle moment. His final episode features his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande as host and the legendary Cher as the musical guest. Yang gave a special shout-out to Grande, writing, “thank you to ari for sending me off in the dreamiest way i could imagine.”
As he looks toward his next chapter, Yang made sure to credit the man behind the curtain, Lorne Michaels. “thank you to lorne for the job. for the standard. and for bringing everyone at work together,” he shared. “they all care deeply about people in the room, any room, enjoying themselves. i can’t believe i was ever included in that.” While the show will certainly feel different without his sharp wit, Yang left us with one final, relatable thought: “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, but s-iiiiit, I hope I am.”
Read Bowen Yang’s full statement below
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.
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. i learned that comedy is mostly logistics and that it will usually fail until it doesn’t, which is the besssst.
thank you to every single person who showed up there: friends and coworkers and audiences and hosts. thank you celeste, sudi, will, alison, julio, fran, drez, bulla, marty, john, ben, jimmy, ceara, deetch, jake, asha, jack, auguste, tucker, kent, streeter, james, alex, jasmine, gary, and billy for writing with me. thank you to every cast member for making me laugh and cry. to liz and don. tom, jodi, louie, eamon. gena, chris, eddie. the crews, the pages. and to audrey, jameson, cassandra and chris for the fastest, funnest quick-changes in all of showbiz. thank you to ari for sending me off in the dreamiest way i could imagine.
thank you to lorne for the job. for the standard. and for bringing everyone at work together. they all care deeply about people in the room, any room, enjoying themselves. i can’t believe i was ever included in that.
the show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, but shiiiiit, i hope i am. ❤️🌃⌛️🎥
