Kate McKinnon Reflects on Leaving SNL: 'My Body Was Tired'

Kate McKinnon opened up about her decision to leave Saturday Night Live in an interview on Live With Kelly and Ryan Thursday morning.

"I thought about it for a very long time, and it was very, very hard," McKinnon said of her decision to leave the NBC comedy. "All I ever wanted to do in my whole life was be on Saturday Night Live. And so I did, I loved it, I had the best decade, and then I was just like, my body was tired, and I felt like it was time."

When Ryan Seacrest asked McKinnon what she now plans to do on Saturday nights, the actor and comedian said she hasn't quite figured that out.

"I don't know what I will do. I don't know that I can watch the show yet because it's too emo because I miss everyone so much," she explained. "It's my other family. It's too emo. So, I think I'm just going to tape The Bachelorette and watch it on Saturday."

McKinnon left SNL in May, bidding farewell in the Season 47 finale. The comedian spent 10 years on the late-night sketch show, winning two Emmy Awards for her work, in 2016 and 2017.

Saturday Night Live returns for its 48th season this fall on NBC.

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Deena ElGenaidi's writing has been featured in Nylon, MTV News, Insider, The AV Club, and more. You can follow her on Twitter @deenaelg.