Bowen Yang’s ‘SNL’ Exit Is Most‑Watched Episode in a Year
Bowen Yang’s ‘SNL’ Exit & Ratings Boom Saturday Night Live scored a major ratings win with its December 20 episode — and it came at a big moment for the long‑running show. According to Variety , the holiday installment — hosted by pop star and Wicked co‑star Ariana Grande with Cher as the musical guest — drew about 5.4 million viewers , making it the most‑watched episode of SNL in over a year . A High‑Profile Farewell This episode also marked the final appearance of Bowen Yang as a cast member of Saturday Night Live . Yang has been a standout performer since joining the show — first as a writer in 2018 and later as a cast member beginning in 2019 . His departure after seven seasons was one of the most talked‑about moments of the season, and the emotional farewell sketch with Grande and Cher brought both laughter and tears. Why It Drew So Many Viewers Several factors helped boost the episode’s viewership: Star power — Ariana Grande and Cher brought mainstream and music‑fan audiences. Seasonal timing — Christmas‑adjacent episodes o…
