The site quotes “sources connected to SNL” as saying that Thompson wanted to leave after last season, but Lorne Michaels asked him to stay in order to maintain some consistency. These same sources report that Thompson is “in talks for a new show and plans on moving to L.A.” However, as multiple outlets repeated the TMZ reports, a spokesperson for the show has refuted them as “incredibly inaccurate,” saying that casting decisions are not made until season’s end.
If Thompson were to leave at the end of the year, he would be the third-most tenured cast member in the show’s history. He already boasts the longest stint among black cast members and among cast members who were born after the show began. If he decided to stick around for just three more years, he could beat out Darrell Hammond and Seth Meyers for the top spot.
Keep scrolling for more great stories from The A.V. Club.