Colin Jost Reportedly Mulls ‘Saturday Night Live’ Exit After 2020 Election

Colin Jost is reportedly mulling an exit from Saturday Night Live after the 2020 election. Colin, along with Michael Che and Kent Sublette, are head writers for the series. Colin and Michael also host the popular weekly news segment titled “Weekend Update.” While Colin’s purported departure has not been officially announced, Variety reported it is something is he indeed considering, at least on paper.

In his new memoir titled “A Very Punchable Face,” due to hit bookstores in April, Colin writes that he may leave the series after the 2020 presidential election.

Variety received information regarding Colin’s reported departure from a series of uncorrected galley proofs from the comedian’s book. According to the report, remarks the writer and comedian made may be changed or corrected before the book’s final publication.

The news outlet reported that Colin is looking toward a series of projects beyond the sketches he pumps out for the show on a weekly basis. He has been an SNL writer since graduating from Harvard University in 2005.

Colin has been nominated for an Emmy award 11 times in the category of Outstanding Writing during his SNL tenure, a testament to his dedication to providing the funniest and most topical material for the core cast and celebrity hosts.

Colin took over the host seat from Seth Meyers on “Weekend Update” in 2014 after years working behind the camera as a writer, and later becoming head writer.

In 2017, he and Michael were named co-head writers of the series along with their duties in front of the camera, performing material for the popular mid-show segment.

Variety also noted that if Jost chooses to remain with the series, he may have the opportunity to expand his credentials, a professional courtesy many of his contemporaries on the show have enjoyed over the years.

Castmates Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, and Aidy Bryant have all been able to find creative outlets outside of their work on the NBC series. Kate has acted in feature films such as Ghostbusters, Yesterday, Rough Night, and Bombshell. Kenan is currently working on a reboot of All That and The Kenan Show. Aidy Bryant stars in the Hulu series Shrill.

In the book, Colin revealed he is “preparing mentally” for a potential departure from the series, but not without several key personal gains under his belt to remember his time at Studio 8H.

Colin met Academy Award-nominated actress Scarlett Johannson when she hosted Saturday Night Live in 2006. After her divorce from second husband Romain Dauriac in 2017, the father of her daughter Rose Dorothy Dauriac, Scarlett and Colin found the path to a romantic relationship wide-open.

The couple became engaged in 2019. It will be Colin’s first marriage.