Nigerian-American comedian Ego Nwodim has been confirmed as a returning cast member for Season 51 of Saturday Night Live (SNL), which premieres October 1.
The announcement comes after the long-running sketch series earned 11 wins at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including recognition for its 50th anniversary special.
Season 51 will feature the return of Bowen Yang, Chloe Fineman, Mikey Day, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernández, Andrew Dismukes, and James Austin Johnson, alongside Nwodim, who joined the show in Season 44.
Departing the cast are Heidi Gardner, who exited after eight seasons, as well as Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim.
Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline, who debuted in Season 50, are set to return. New cast members include Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska, joining original stars Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Kenan Thompson to bring the total ensemble to 18.
A major highlight for the season will be the show’s 1,000th episode, marking a milestone in its history.
SNL Season 51 will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.
