Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · August 24, 2025 · Entertainment

SNL Faces Bloodbath: Lorne Michaels' Shocking Cast Cuts Revealed!

Saturday Night Live boss Lorne Michaels (pictured in February at Radio City Music Hall, NYC) has revealed that several current cast members will be cut from the NBC show within days

SNL Shake-Up Alert: Lorne Michaels Drops Bombshell About Cast Cuts Ahead of Season 51

The king of comedy, Lorne Michaels, has just thrown a bombshell into the mix, revealing that multiple current cast members will be cut from Saturday Night Live (SNL) within days. Yes, you read that right - DAYS! The news has left fans and industry insiders reeling as they try to wrap their heads around who's going down.

In an exclusive interview with Puck's Matthew Belloni, Michaels, the 80-year-old mastermind behind SNL, confirmed that a "significant shake-up" is imminent. And by significant, we mean catastrophic - several current cast members are expected to bid farewell to Studio 8H before Season 51 premieres on October 4.

NBC could soon flee the late-night genre completely by scrapping a trio of shows that includes Saturday Night Live. The long-running comedy sketch show's current cast is seen here

But don't worry, folks; it's not all doom and gloom. Michaels hinted that the cuts will be made with a "week or so" timeframe, giving fans just enough time to process the news. When asked if he'd "shake things up," Michaels nonchalantly replied, "Yes." Talk about leaving us hanging!

The question on everyone's mind is: who's next? The 17-strong cast includes some of the most talented comedians in the business, including Colin Jost, Bowen Yang, and Kenan Thompson. But will they be among those who get the axe?

Michaels didn't spill any beans about which members are at risk, but he did reveal that past cast members like Dana Carvey, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph have paved the way for future stars to shine. It seems Michaels is trying to create a legacy, even as he prepares to bid farewell to some of his most talented players.

Unnamed insiders told both CNBC and Puck that Colbert's show had been losing $40 million a year due to declining ad revenue before his bosses made the call to cancel it a few weeks ago. Other sources who spoke with Variety and CNN insisted the same, without providing figures

It's no secret that SNL has been struggling in recent years. The show has seen significant declines in viewership and revenue, with costs skyrocketing to $4 million per episode (or around $100 million annually). And don't even get us started on the pressure to reinvent itself - Michaels confirmed he feels "pressure to reinvent this season."

But what's really going down behind closed doors? Sources close to the show claim that Michaels is worried about his own legacy, knowing that his departure from SNL will signal a major shift in the world of late-night comedy.

CBS Fires Stephen Colbert: A Blow to Late-Night TV

Michaels' original brain child, SNL, remains highly rated, after 50 years on the air with its original showrunner. He stepped in to produce Fallon and Meyers' shows in 2014, after they succeeded their respective predecessors. Pictured: Michaels in an early SNL skit in 1976

Meanwhile, over at CBS, the news is just as shocking. The network has confirmed that it's killing off Stephen Colbert's Late Show franchise, effective May 2026. Yes, you heard that right - 10 years after its debut!

Colbert, a former Daily Show host and a staple of late-night TV, will leave behind a legacy of irreverent humor and hard-hitting commentary. But what drove CBS to make this drastic decision? Insiders claim it's all about the bottom line - Colbert's show hemorrhaged $40 million per year.

The Future of SNL: Will It Survive Without Lorne Michaels?

But here's a bombshell that'll leave you speechless: a media expert predicts that NBC may axe SNL altogether once Michaels retires. Robert Thompson, founder of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, shared his gloomy forecast in late July.

"SNL can't keep losing money forever," Thompson warned. "If Lorne decides to retire or can't do those shows anymore, NBC will be in an interesting position." And by interesting, he means financially strapped!

Thompson believes that NBC would love to get out of the late-night game altogether, rather than overhaul every program. After all, it's not like they have a deep bench of comedy talent waiting to take over.

A $100 Million Loss: Can SNL Keep Up?

So, just how much is this shake-up going to hurt? CNBC reported that SNL and its stablemates, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers, collectively lose around $100 million annually. Ouch!

But wait - an insider disputes this figure, claiming it's exaggerated and doesn't take into account other revenue streams like digital advertising. Still, the fact remains: SNL is struggling to break even.

The End of an Era?

As Michaels prepares for his next move, fans can't help but wonder what the future holds for SNL. Will this shake-up be a much-needed revamp or a catastrophic mistake?

One thing's for sure - with Lorne Michaels at the helm, you can bet your bottom dollar that something big is brewing in Studio 8H. Stay tuned, folks!