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Here are some of the top contenders to lead Saturday Night Live should Lorne Michaels choose to retire:
Who will take over Saturday Night Live when Lorne Michaels retires?
THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW -- Episode BP152 -- Pictured: Tina Fey -- (Photo by: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal)Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal
Tina Fey
When you think of SNL, it’s more than likely that the first person who comes to mind is comedysuperstar Tina Fey, and for good reason. Fey has a long history with the show, having served as head writer (1999-2006), a cast member and the Weekend Update anchor. On top of that, she’s hosted the show six times and has had dozens of cameo appearances over the last decade, giving her a unique perspective on nearly all the facets of the show. She also has plenty of experience as a producer, serving as an executive producer on projects like 30 Rock, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Mean Girls, and Grils5Eva. In a 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Lorne Micheals was not shy about Tina being well-equipped for the job, telling them, “It could easily be Tina Fey … Tina’s brilliant and great at everything. She’s a very important person in my life.”
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS -- Episode 1651 -- Pictured: Host Seth Meyers during the monologue on May 8, 2025 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC)Lloyd Bishop/NBC
Seth Meyers
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THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 1883 -- Pictured: Announcer Steve Higgins during the monologue on Monday, December 4, 2023 -- (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)Steve Higgins
When people muse about the person who will replace Lorne, they often toss around the names of former SNL cast members, but the job is ultimately that of a producer. Steve Higgins has been a writer and producer on the show since 1995, shepherding the storied sketch show through many different eras of writers and cast members. Taking on Lorne's role would probably mean he’d no longer be able to keep his commitment as Jimmy Fallon’s sidekick on The Tonight Show, but it would be a sacrifice worth making. It may not be the flashy pick that some hope for, but Higgins’ three decades of work on the show has given him invaluable insight into what it takes to showrun such a behemoth and gives him a unique advantage over many other contenders.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1879 -- Pictured: (l-r) Anchor Colin Jost and anchor Michael Che during Weekend Update on Saturday, March 29, 2025 -- (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC)Will Heath/NBC
Colin Jost and Micheal Che
Related: 20 Richest SNL Cast Members of All Time, Ranked By Net Worth
SNL50: THE RED CARPET -- Pictured: Paula Pell on Sunday, February 16, 2025 -- (Photo by: Mike Coppola/NBC)Mike Coppola/NBC
Paula Pell
Paula Pell is responsible for some of your all-time favorite sketches including "Debbie Downer," "The Spartan Cheerleaders" and the "Omeletteville Mascot." Pell spent almost 20 years on the show as a writer and since leaving in 2013 has been back for many guest writing gigs, recently returning for the SNL50 anniversary special. She’s also been recognized for her work on the show by many awards institutions, winning an Emmy and multiple Writer’s Guild of America Awards. Paula has the producing chops too, with credits like 30 Rock, This is 40, and Mapleworth Murders. She may not have as much experience as other hopefuls, but there’s no denying that this woman knows funny better than almost anyone.
SNL50: THE RED CARPET -- Pictured: Kenan Thompson on Sunday, February 16, 2025 -- (Photo by: Theo Wargo/NBC)Theo Wargo/NBC
Kenan Thompson
Admittedly, this one is a bit of a stretch, but as SNL’s longest-running cast member, you can’t leave him out of the conversation. Thompson has devoted his entire life to sketch comedy, from starring in Nickelodeon’s comedy show All That for much of his youth to devoting 22 years and counting to Saturday Night Live. It’s hard to even imagine an episode of SNL without Kenan. He is the ultimate student of the craft and has decades of industry knowledge which gives him a horse in this race yet.
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