Cecily Strong leaves

Cecily Strong gave her ultimate efficiency on “Saturday Evening Dwell” this weekend — as a part of the primary solid, not less than — following what has develop into an ongoing pattern of exits from the favored sketch comedy present. 

Robust, 38, initially joined the “SNL” roster in 2012 and over the following decade grew to become considered one of its longest-tenured feminine solid members. For her work, she obtained two Emmy nominations for excellent supporting actress in a comedy sequence in 2020 and 2021, in addition to a Critics’ Alternative Tv Award nomination for finest supporting actress.

Robust’s exit from “Saturday Evening Dwell” after 11 seasons got here as a shock to this system’s followers. Simply hours earlier than airing its newest episode, which featured “Elvis” star Austin Butler and Lizzo because the musical visitor, on Saturday night, NBC introduced the information in an understated message shared on Twitter.

“Tonight we ship off among the best ever to do it,” learn a tweet from the present’s official account. “We’ll miss you, Cecily!”

The publish included a photograph of Robust and her now-former costar, Michael Che, posing for a selfie whereas seated on the “Weekend Replace” desk, and a GIF recapturing considered one of her memorable moments on stage.

Though Robust has not publicly acknowledged her “SNL” departure on social media, she did carry out a handful of sketches throughout Saturday’s taping that alluded to her real-life bid goodbye. She appeared on “Weekend Replace” as a recurring character, Cathy Anne, who shared a couple of significant parting phrases earlier than going to “jail.”

“Everyone has to go to jail in some unspecified time in the future, and it is simply my time now,” Robust stated, as Cathy Anne. “However I really feel actually fortunate that I received to spend so lots of the finest moments of my life with these folks that I like a lot.” 

The heartfelt — and foolish — nod to Robust’s exit was paying homage to how the present dealt with former mainstay Kate McKinnon’s departure within the spring, when she gave a surprisingly transferring closing monologue earlier than boarding an alien space ship. McKinnon’s exit coincided with these of different former “SNL” stars like Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson, Alex Moffat, Chris Redd and Melissa Villaseñor, all of whom left forward of the present’s present season.

In her final look of the night time, Robust performed an worker on her ultimate shift at Radio Shack in a sketch reverse Kenan Thompson. Butler entered the scene performing a rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas,” which grew to become a duet as Robust started to sing. The total “SNL” solid in the end joined in, surrounding Robust on stage as she gave out hugs all through the quantity.

Outdoors of “Saturday Evening Dwell,” Robust produces and stars within the scripted musical comedy sequence “Schmigadoon!” alongside fellow comic Keegan-Michael Key. It has been renewed for a second season on Apple TV+.