Is Kenan Thompson Leaving Saturday Night Live? Comedian Reflects on 'Forever Cast Member' Status 22 Seasons In

Kenan Thompson gets candid about his future on Saturday Night Live after being a staple cast member for over two decades.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Apr 05, 2025 | 01:21 PM IST | 517K

CC: Getty Images

Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson has no plans to leave the "hands down" best job on TV anytime soon. Holding the current record for being the longest-running SNL cast member, Thompson beat Darrell Hammond, who was previously on the live sketch-comedy show for 14 seasons.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Thompson opened up about his extended stay and future on SNL, teasing that he'd be over the moon to become a 'forever cast member.'

"It would be cool if I never left the show. That’d be crazy," Thompson told the outlet, adding, "I guess the only other milestone would be just to be the forever cast member... Just never leave the show."

Though 20 seasons was previously his target—a feat no one had ever reached—he's now willing to reach even more unexplored ground. Having already passed that mark, Thompson indicated that although 30 seasons is "just another number," he's now just taking it all in and would be content to remain "until the wheels fall off."

"People had gotten into their teens before, but nobody had gotten all the way up to 20. And then I was close to doing it. Once I started getting into 17, I was like, Well, if I can, I would love to stick around till 20. And now here we are at 22, so I don’t know," he added.

Thompson's devotion to SNL has never wavered. He's been nominated for five Emmys for his efforts on the program, including one for the unforgettable 2018 sketch Come Back, Barack.

The Kenan & Kel star raved about SNL being the best job on television to People, saying, "It's a one-of-a-kind place. It's the people in front and behind that embrace it and need it. So when they call me, what, am I not supposed to oblige the greatest job in the world? So it's just out of love. What a blessing it is to have steady employment!"

Saturday Night Live airs on weekends at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

ALSO READ: Kenan Thompson, the Longest-Tenured Cast Member Hails SNL as the 'Greatest Job' After 22 Seasons