'SNL' Season 51 Shake-Up: Who's Staying and Who's Saying Goodbye?

Saturday Night Live showrunner Lorne Michaels hinted at casting changes to come during a recent interview, highlighting how the show's 50th season influenced his decision-making.

"Last season, when we were at the party of the first show, quarter of four in the morning, Dana [Carvey, who played Joe Biden] comes over to me and says, 'I don't think anyone knows you called me June 4th [to play Biden].' I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season]," Michaels revealed in an August 24 interview with Puck. "So when Kate [McKinnon] hosted, Kristen [Wiig] and Maya [Rudolph] came back for it. And that meant there couldn't be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season]. And we had an election."

Michaels confirmed that fans could expect casting announcements soon, noting that James Austin Johnson would return to reprise his role as Donald Trump. The very next day, Devon Walker became the first cast member to bid farewell. His post featured a heartfelt photo from behind the scenes with the caption, "Me and baby broke up ❤️."

SNL's season 51 will premiere on NBC on Saturday, October 4.

Let's take a look at who's returning and who's exiting for the new season.

Michaels confirmed to Puck on August 24 that Johnson would continue delivering his memorable Trump impression in season 51. Johnson has yet to publicly comment on his return.

Walker announced his departure from SNL after three seasons via Instagram on August 25. He shared a photo slideshow with a caption that playfully questioned his exit: "Wait … did he quit or did he get fired?"

"To me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of em last for a long time if we're lucky, but most of them are fleeting," Walker wrote. "Permanent until they're not. That's the deal. You know what it is when you sign up."

He reflected further, saying, "Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool. Sometimes it was toxic as h---. But … we made the most of what it was, even amidst all the dysfunction. We made a f----- up lil family."

Following Walker's announcement, Emil Wakim revealed he would not return for a second season.

"It was a gut punch of a call to get but I'm so grateful for my time there," Wakim posted via Instagram on August 27. "I was at Six Flags celebrating my friend's 36th birthday and went on a really emotional walk through Bugs Bunny Park and stared out across Daffy Duck Lake thinking about life."

Wakim also expressed his appreciation for the experience he gained.

"Every time I scanned into the building, I would think how insane it is to get to work there. It was the most terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding experience of my life and I will miss it dearly and all the brilliant people that work there that made it feel like a home. Thank u to Lorne for taking a chance on me and changing my life," he concluded. "I was so lucky to bring some of myself in there and say things I believed in and I'm excited for whatever chapter comes next. Here's to making more art without compromise," he added.

Deadline reported on August 28 that Michael Longfellow would also exit SNL after three seasons. Longfellow has not yet commented on his departure.

Heidi Gardner is leaving the series after eight seasons, multiple sources spilled to Variety.