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For decades, Saturday Night Live hosts and cast members have praised creator and producer Lorne Michaels. Back in 1975, a then-30-year-old Lorne introduced the cutting-edge sketch comedy series to NBC, and the rest was history. Now that the television writer and producer has worked on the show for decades, viewers are wondering who could replace Lorne once he retires.
During a January 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Lorne said he “of course” has “thought about” his future retirement and who could fill his shoes.
Over the years, SNL cast members have give Lorne shout-outs. Pete Davidson has credited Lorne as a friend and mentor over the years, such as in his 2022 note upon leaving the cast.
“I owe Lorne Michaels and everyone at SNL my life. I’m so grateful, and I wouldn’t be here without them,” the comedian said in a statement at the time.
Below, Hollywood Life reveals who could be Lorne’s replacement and more about his career with SNL.
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Is Lorne Michaels Retiring?
It’s unclear when exactly Lorne plans on retiring from SNL. During his 2024 ET interview, the writer noted that SNL had planned their 50th anniversary special for February 2025, adding, “So, I will definitely be there for that and definitely be there until then. And then we’ll figure out what we’re going to do.”
Who Will Replace Lorne Michaels?
Lorne agreed with ET‘s Nischelle Turner in 2024 when she noted that many people have thought Tina Fey could replace him.
“It could easily be Tina Fey,” Lorne acknowledged, before adding, “But there are a lot of people who are there now who are also, you know … Tina’s brilliant and great at everything. She’s a very important person in my life.”
Tina started out on SNL in the late 1990s as a writer. She occasionally appeared in sketches as an extra and became the show’s first-ever head female writer. By 2000, Tina became a cast member and eventually appeared alongside Jimmy Fallon on Weekend Update. In 2006, Tina left SNL to work on the comedy series 30 Rock.
How Long Has Lorne Michaels Produced SNL?
Lorne worked as a producer on SNL from 1975 to 1980 before stepping away from the show for five years to explore other projects. Since 1985, he has been producing the series.
Occasionally, Lorne appears in SNL sketches and is known for his deadpan facial expressions.
Sourse: hollywoodlife.com
