Cecily Strong Signs Off From 'SNL'

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Long-running comic and cast member moving on

Austin Butler serenades Cecily Strong
Musical guest Austin Butler and departing cast member Cecily Strong on the Dec. 17 episode of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ (Image credit: Will Heath/NBC)

Cecily Strong announced her departure from Saturday Night Live December 17. Appearing as her character Cathy Anne on Weekend Update, she explained the reason why she is leaving. “Turns out, prison,” she told anchor Michael Che. 

“Everybody has to go to jail at some point, and it’s just my time now, but I feel really lucky that I got to spend so many of the best moments of my life with these people that I love so much,” Strong added. 

Strong joined SNL in 2012. She anchored Weekend Update with Seth Meyers in 2013. 

Strong’s characters include Cathy Ann, Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party and Judge Jeanine Pirro. 

As the episode concluded, host Austin Butler and the cast serenaded Strong with Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas.”

Strong hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2015 and stars in Apple TV Plus series Schmigadoon. ■

Michael Malone
Michael Malone

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.