Comedian Michael Che Will Replace Cecily Strong On ‘Weekend Update’ For ‘Saturday Night Live’ Season 40

It seems Saturday Night Live is making a bunch of changes for it's 40th season. Following news of recent hires and fires and word that Chris Pratt will be hosting the season premiere, the legendary NBC sketch show has now announced that comedian Michael Che will replace Cecily Strong on the show's Weekend Update segment.

Che has been writing for the show since last season. He'll take the Update spot alongside Colin Jost for the first time this coming Sept. 27, when the season premiere airs.

While he's replacing Strong, it's been assured that she is not leaving the show. The New York Times notes that the segment has "struggled to find an identity" since the departure of Seth Meyers, according to the show's creator and executive producer, Lorne Michaels.

Meyers, of course, left SNL and went on to host Late Night.

Michael Che on Late Night with Seth Meyers:

On bringing Che to the Update seat, Michaels states, "Michael is a strong writer, and he's really funny. It's always difficult to make changes and make Update different from what's gone before. ... This is about a new era, what feels appropriate for now."

The producer adds, "That's why we did a lot of combinations and tests, and this is kind of where we came out."

This will be the first time ever that the Weekend Update segment will house two men as anchors.

Michael Che on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart:

The publication claims that it was Strong herself who asked to be in more sketches. Taking her away from the desk spot would allow for that two happen, as Michaels assured the Times that she is one of the show's key players and is going no where.