Overview

• In a new interview, Walker says the show could use a "measure of humanity," criticizing summer silence on contract status that leaves people in limbo.
• Walker describes his exit after three seasons as mutual and reiterates that he did not personally face an end‑of‑summer firing scenario.
• NBCUniversal confirms five new featured players for Season 51: Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska.
• Recent departures include cast members Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow and Emil Wakim, as well as writers Celeste Yim, Rosebud Baker and John Higgins.
• HuffPost relays a Daily Beast report that Lorne Michaels did not personally call Longfellow about his exit, while SNL has not commented; the new season premieres Oct. 4.