Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney and Pete Davidson all say goodbye

Several key cast members of Saturday Night Live said goodbye to the long-running show last night

 Kate McKinnon left in the 'cold open' reprising her character Coleen Rafferty, who departed on a spaceship. 'Well, Earth. I love you, thanks for letting me stay awhile,' she said, before adding the signature opening line: 'Live From New York, It’s Saturday Night.'

Davidson said goodbye to the show during the Weekend Update segment, saying: 'I appreciate Saturday Night Live always having my back. Thank you, Lorne [Michaels, the show's mastermind], for never giving up on me or judging me, even when everyone else was and for believing in me and allowing me to have a place that I could call home, with memories that will last a lifetime. So thank you guys.'

Bryant left in another Weekend Update skit,  with Bowen Yang and Michael Che  giving her a kiss and  a bouquet of flowers.

Mooney's final full sketch, was  a 9 to 5 parody in which he and Fred Armisen leapt out of an office building

The departing cast are all long-term members of the team.

Davidson has been with the show since 2014 but has long been thought to have outgrown it, co-writing and starring in The King of Staten Island.

He has taken a low profile this season as he works on movies including horror title The Home. He has also been having a very high-profile relationship with Kim Kardashian.

McKinnon has been on the show since 2012 and recently played Carole Baskin in Joe vs. Carole, while Bryant, who joined the show in 2012, starred in three seasons of the comedy Shrill .

Last night's episode of the topical comedy institution, which airs on Sky Comedy in the UK, hosted by Russian Doll star Natasha Lyonne.

Published: 22 May 2022