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Emil Wakim announced on August 27, 2025, that he would not return to Saturday Night Live for Season 51. After one season as a featured player, he described the news as “a gut punch of a call to get” while expressing gratitude for his time on the show. Neither TheWrap nor TVLine reported an official reason for the decision.
What Emil Wakim said about leaving SNL
Wakim shared the news in an Instagram post. TVLine quoted his reaction: “It was a gut punch of a call to get, but I’m so grateful for my time there.”
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He also reflected on what it was like to work at the show, calling the experience “the most terrifying, thrilling and rewarding” of his life. Wakim thanked producer Lorne Michaels for taking a chance on him and said he would miss the people who had made the workplace feel like home, according to TVLine’s report.
Looking ahead, Wakim said he was excited for his next chapter and for “making more art without compromise.”
How Wakim learned he would not return
Wakim said he was at Six Flags celebrating a friend’s 36th birthday when he received the call. He recalled taking an emotional walk through Bugs Bunny Park and looking across Daffy Duck Lake afterward, as reported by TVLine.
Wakim’s one season on SNL
Wakim joined Saturday Night Live in 2024 as a featured player for the show’s 50th season. TheWrap reported that he was often used in Weekend Update segments. His departure means he will not return for Season 51.
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Was Emil Wakim’s departure his decision?
TheWrap reported that the decision was not Wakim’s. The published reports do not provide an official explanation from SNL for why he was not brought back. There is no basis in those reports to attribute the decision to his performance or to a particular casting rationale.
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