Pete Davidson Speaks on ‘SNL’ Future Being ‘Up in the Air’ Once His Contract Expires

It’s still unclear if Pete Davidson will be returning to the next season of Saturday Night Live, and even he is saying his future on the iconic sketch comedy institution is “up in the air.”

In a new interview with Gold Derby, the New York comedian and actor opened up about his future on the show, memories from the recently concluded Season 46, and the emotions he felt when it came to a close.

“Speaking for myself, I don’t know what the plan is,” the 27-year-old said. “Everything’s kind of up in the air right now just depending on scheduling. It is my seventh year, and that is usually what the contract’s for.”

Davidson explained he’s spent a fourth of his life on the show’s set, and traced his personal growth since he joined the cast back in 2014 for Season 40.

“I started there with acne and left with tattoos,” he said. “It was a very crazy, long period of time. And I wasn’t ready for [this] season to end yet becuase I was really having so much fun.”

Davidson’s potential departure from the cast has been rumored for a while, given that the standard SNL contract is up after seven years, and the comedian previously joked about it during a Hollywood Reporter roundtable discussion with Ted Danson, Lamorne Morris, and his fellow cast member Chris Redd.

“Yeah, I’m good,” Davidson said about the potential of being on the show as long as Kenan Thompson. “I’m surprised I made it to seven. I’m ready to hang up the jersey. Kenan’s like fucking Karl Malone out there.”

Also in the chat with Gold Derby, Davidson explained this past season was an emotional one, as he saw more audience members attend as COVID restrictions began to loosen.

“Just watching it go from one-third of an audience to [one-half]…and the last show was a full audience for the first time, just hearing that laugh, that full room laugh,” Pete said. “I was just so emotional.”