Cecily Strong out as ‘Weekend Update’ co-anchor on ‘SNL,’ replaced by Michael Che
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Version 0 of 1. “Saturday Night Live” has undergone quite a few shake-ups lately and now there’s another: Cecily Strong will be replaced as the “Weekend Update” co-anchor with staff writer/comedian Michael Che. Che, who you might recognize from occasional segments on “The Daily Show,” will join last year’s co-anchor Colin Jost when the show returns for its 40th season on Sept. 27. Strong will stay on as a cast member; executive Lorne Michaels told the New York Times on Thursday night that it will free her up to star in more sketches. The reason for the switch? Michaels was vague but said that the “Update” desk “struggled to find an identity last season.” (That may be a result of Jost replacing Seth Meyers when he left the show mid-season for “Late Night.”) “This is about a new era, what feels appropriate for now,” Michaels said. “That’s why we did a lot of combinations and tests, and this is kind of where we came out.” This move comes after three first-time cast members — Brooks Whelan, Noël Wells and John Milhiser — were let go earlier this summer. Plus, Michaels told the NYT, apparently Che and Jost bonded in the “SNL” writers’ room last year. According to IMDB, Che is credited as a writer on nearly two dozen episodes last season. Jost has been “SNL” head writer since 2012. Here’s Che on “The Daily Show” last month: The Daily Show Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,Daily Show Video Archive |