Bowen Yang's last appearance on "Saturday Night Live" set a ratings milestone while shedding light on behind-the-scenes challenges at the long-running NBC sketch show.

Yang's farewell episode, which aired Saturday and featured Ariana Grande as host and Cher as the musical guest, drew 5.4 million viewers.

According to Variety, this was the highest viewership since October 2024, just shy of the 5.6 million viewers who tuned in for Grande last year. The show also marked the season's peak ratings.

The 35-year-old comedian, who began as a writer on "SNL" in 2018, became the series' first Asian cast member in 2019.

His departure, revealed in Season 51, came as a surprise to many, including "SNL" boss Lorne Michaels.

"Everyone tried to get Bowen to stay, from Lorne down," a source told Page Six. "But he just made up his mind, he was over it. He was not happy, you could tell."

Yang had reportedly planned to leave at the season's start in October and was even considering spending time in Japan.

Bowen Yang Bids Emotional Farewell on 'SNL'

According to Yahoo, in his swan song, Yang participated in an emotional sketch with Grande, his "Wicked" co-star, performing a tearful rendition of "Please Come Home for Christmas."

Another sketch featured him as a Delta airline worker preparing eggnog on his final day, where he shared, "I just feel so lucky that I ever got to work here and I just wanted to enjoy it a little bit longer, especially the people."

Insiders cited multiple reasons for Yang's exit, including dissatisfaction over the recent departure of cast members such as Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim, and his heavy commitments outside the show.

Yang co-hosts the popular podcast "Las Culturistas" with Matt Rogers and has several upcoming TV and film projects, including an animated "Cat in the Hat" film with fellow alum Bill Hader.

On Instagram, Yang reflected on his time at 30 Rock, writing, "I loved working at SNL, and most of all I loved the people. I'm grateful for every minute of my time there. I learned about myself... I learned about others... They all care deeply about people in the room, any room, enjoying themselves."

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Bowen Yang, Snl