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Bowen Yang is leaving SNL mid seasonCredit: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
 

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Bowen’s last episode is expected to be Saturday, December 20th with Ariana Grande hosting, and Cher as the musical guestCredit: Getty
Bowen Yang‘s departure will coincide with his dear friend Ariana Grande hosting SNL.

Cher is the musical guest.

The U.S. Sun reached out to SNL for comment.

Bowen, 35, joined the cast back in 2019 and was one of the first openly gay stars.

Show creator Lorne Michaels told Bowen he has a lot to still do in his career.

Bowen opened up recently saying, “Even [creator] Lorne [Michaels] and I talked about it, and Lorne was like, ‘You have more to do,’ and that means a lot, because I even confessed to him.

“I was like, ‘I feel the audience is maybe getting sick of me.’ And he was like, ‘That’s not true. There’s more for you to do. I need you.’”

He added, “That man has changed my life, and I owe a lot of my life to that show,” Yang said. “And I love working there, the people are the best. I really love each of them so much.”

Bowen worked on a slew of skits that went viral.

Notably, Yang played the iceberg that sank the Titanic, and he did a Weekend Update that shown a spotlight on Asian hate crimes.

The star also co-hosts a comedy pop-culture podcast, Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers.

Bowen’s departure came midseason, but not before several other high-profile stars left the sketch show over the summer ahead of the latest season.

Ego Nwodim, a popular SNL comedian, 37, shared the news she was departing on her Instagram page on September 12, stating that “the hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight.”

CAST SHAKEUP

Ego’s departure was one of several exits by major cast members before the Season 51 premiere in October.

Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker all announced they were leaving the program, and longtime veteran Heidi Gardner did not return.

Additionally, veteran writers Celeste Yim and Rosebud Baker revealed in emotional farewell posts that they would not be back for the upcoming season.

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“Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool,” Devon wrote.

“Sometimes it was toxic as well. But we did what we made the most of it what it was, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f**ked up lil family.”

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Bowen put the spotlight on Asian hate crimes in a Weekend Update skitCredit: Getty
 

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The comedian was in a number of viral skits through the yearsCredit: Getty
 

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Bowen joined the cast in 2019Credit: Getty