Saturday Night Live veteran, Kate McKinnon, has finally revealed why she decided to leave the iconic sketch show after an incredible run of ten years.
The 38-year-old comedian and actress first joined the show in 2012 and rapidly built up a massive fan following; however, she left many of her followers feeling surprised when she announced her departure at the end of Season 47.
McKinnon’s final episode was on May 21 and also saw the departure of Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney.
The funnywoman finally opened up about her reasons for leaving on LIVE With Kelly & Ryan.
McKinnon admitted to the guys that she had thought long and hard about her decision and had struggled a lot with her choice. She told them, “I thought about it for a very long time, and it was very, very hard.”
She also spoke about how she had always wanted to be an SNL star and loved her time on the show. “All I ever wanted to do in my whole life was be on Saturday Night Live. So, I did, I loved it, I had the best decade.”
Kate McKinnon left Saturday Night Live because she was ‘tired’
Kate McKinnon said the real reason she left Saturday Night Live was that her “body was tired,” and it felt like it “was time.” It seems ten years of producing nighttime comedy can take its toll after a while.
Ryan asked the comedian how she now fills her time on a Saturday night, and she confessed that she doesn’t watch the show. The reason McKinnon hasn’t watched yet is that it still feels too soon and too emotional. She said the SNL team was like family to her.
Kate McKinnon set to star in Barbie movie following SNL exit
It doesn’t seem like McKinnon will be resting up for too long as she’s reportedly starring in the new Barbie movie alongside Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
The movie is also expected to include some other really big names such as Issa Rae, Simu Liu, America Fererra, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, and Rhea Perlman. Barbie will not be released until summer next year.
Pete Davidson was another big-name star who also waved goodbye to SNL at the end of the season. Davidson had been with the show since 2014. Many of his fans actually blamed his new partner, Kim Kardashian, for bringing his time on the show to an end.