Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson has hinted that the long-running comedy sketch series could come to an end in three years’ time.
The actor and comedian was addressing rumours that SNLcould finish after its 50th season because creator Lorne Michaels wishes to retire.
Speaking on Charlamagne tha God’s Hell of a Week podcast, Kenan was asked by the host: “The rumour is the show is ending at its 50th season because Mr Lorne Michaels doesn’t want to do it after age 80. Is that true?”
“Is that the rumor?” Thompson joked. “All right, I need to start planning.”
“There could be a lot of validity to that rumour, because 50 is a good number to stop at,” he said. “That’s an incredible package. [Michaels] will be, probably, close to 80 years old at that point, and, you know, he’s the one who’s had his touch on the whole thing.
“So, if somebody tries to come into his shoes, you know, it’s a good opportunity for NBC to save money as well, you know what I’m saying? [NBC] might slash the budget and then at that point, you can’t really do the same kind of show. So that’s unfair to watch it just really go down kind of in flames for real because of those restrictions… Capping it at 50 might not be a bad idea,” he said.
He also claimed that Michaels’ “legend” status is able to “keep off the corporate wolves” currently.
“They spend a lot of money on that show every week,” Thompson added. “It’s an expensive show, but it’s a one-of-a-kind thing.”
