Jason Sudeikis Confirms He’s Leaving Saturday Night Live

Jason Sudeikis announced that he won’t be returning to Saturday Night Live this fall for the sketch comedy show’s 39th season. “I’m definitely done,” Sudeikis said on The Late Show With David Letterman. “I’m not coming back next fall.”

Sudeikis, 37, and Letterman joked that his decision to leave hadn’t hit him yet because the summer is a regular break for the cast and crew of SNL. “You start to get that itch, probably in August, where all these sketch ideas will show up,” he said. “I’ll be like, ‘Well, can I make this sketch idea last 90 minutes and turn it into a movie?’ Probably not.’”

Sudeikis, who is currently engaged to actress Olivia Wilde, told Letterman that his time with the show has been “really, really amazing.” Some of his more memorable characters on SNL include politicians Mitt Romney and Joe Biden, as well as the dancer in the recurring sketch What’s Up With That? and the Devil on Weekend Update.

Sudeikis was with SNL for ten years – he spent his first two years writing and the next eight years on camera. Seth Meyers, SNL’s head writer and host of Weekend Update, is the only cast member who has been with the show longer than Sudeikis. Meyers will be leaving SNL midseason to take over for Jimmy Fallon on Late Night in 2014.

Sudeikis is one of three cast members not returning to SNL this fall. Bill Hader and Fred Armisen have both confirmed that they, too, have left the show.

Sudeikis stars in the recent comedy We’re The Millers with Jennifer Aniston, and as a regular on the animated program The Cleveland Show. He appeared in a recurring role on HBO’s third season of Eastbound and Down as well as in several episodes of 30 Rock with former SNL cast member Tina Fey.

— Ava Butler