Lorne Michaels discusses when he may retire from 'Saturday Night Live'

Lorne Michaels created and launched Saturday Night Live in 1975, and at 77 years old, remains hands-on as an executive producer.

When will he feel ready to retire and leave SNL in someone else's hands?

"I think I'm committed to doing the show until the 50th anniversary, which is in three years," Michaels told Gayle King for CBS Mornings. "I'd like to see that through, and I have a feeling that'd be a really good time to leave."

When pressed by King on whether that really would be the time to leave, Michaels clarified, "Here's the point: I won't want the show ever to be bad. I care too deeply about it. It's been my life's work, so I'm gonna do everything I can to see it carry on and carry it on well."

If and when that day comes, Michaels vaguely admitted that he has "a sense of where we're headed" in terms of who would take over, but he wouldn't say anything more.

SNL aired its final episode of 2021 last Saturday (Dec. 18), and while Paul Rudd joined the coveted Five-Timers Club, the show was watered down significantly by a COVID-19 outbreak. Amid the Omicron variant surge, there was no live audience, and musical guest Charli XCX did not perform. Several regular cast members chose not to participate in the taping out of caution.

Michaels is in the 44th class of Kennedy Center honorees alongside Berry Gordy, Justino Diaz, Bette Midler and Joni Mitchell. The Kennedy Center Honors will air on CBS on Wednesday (Dec. 22) beginning at 9 p.m. EST.

Watch King's full segment on Michaels below.