when did kenan thompson retire from snl?
Kenan Thompson has not retired from Saturday Night Live (SNL) as of July 2026. He remains on the show, making him the longest-tenured cast member in SNL history with over 23 seasons and more than 500 episodes on air.
Quick answer
- Retired? No.
- Current status (2026): Still an active cast member on SNL.
- Record: Longest-running cast member ever, with 23 seasons by 2026.
Why people keep asking
There have been many rumors and headlines over the years about Kenan possibly leaving, but theyāve all turned out to be false or speculative:
- 2014 rumor: TMZ reported he planned to leave after his 12th season; SNL did not confirm this and he stayed.
- 2021ā2025: He publicly said he was trying to reach 20 seasons, then later indicated heād be happy to stay āforeverā.
- 2026 interviews: He described thinking about the āfinal dayā emotionally, but not that he has one set, and he still has no announced exit date.
What he has said about leaving
Kenan has talked about retirement in a few different ways:
- He said he sometimes thinks about what it will feel like to leave and that āitās gonna suckā for him, because of the relationships heās built.
- He joked that he might ājust run outā without saying goodbye to avoid the sadness of departures like Bowen Yangās.
- At the same time, in a 2026 interview with Variety , he said he would be willing to stay on SNL āforeverā if they let him.
So while heās clearly thought about the idea of leaving, there is no official retirement date and no announcement that he has quit.
Timeline snapshot
Year| What was said / reported| Actual status
---|---|---
2014| TMZ: plans to leave after 12th season| Stayed on 6
2021| Wanted to reach 20 seasons| Reached 20, then kept going 5
2025| Asked about āwhen heāll retireā| No exit announced; still on 4
2026| Talks about āfinal day,ā but says heād stay forever if allowed| Still on
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Bottom line: Kenan Thompson has not retired from SNL. As of mid-2026, he is still a cast member and holds the record for the most seasons on the show. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
