Audrey’s Wakabayashi to Leave ‘School Kakumei!’ at End of September, Kasuga Staying On

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The story

Audrey’s Masayasu Wakabayashi announced on the September 20 broadcast of Nippon TV’s “School Kakumei!” that he will leave the show at the end of September. Near the end of the program, prompted by Mitsuyoshi Uchimura, he made the announcement himself, touching on throat trouble as one reason. His comedy partner, Toshihiko Kasuga, will continue on the show. On 5channel threads, reactions split between those taking the announcement at face value, those speculating he’s shifting his focus toward his recent writing career, and others lamenting the turnover among the show’s regular cast.

9/20 (Sun) 1:54 PM

Masayasu Wakabayashi (47), of the comedy duo Audrey, appeared on Nippon TV’s “School Kakumei!” (Sundays, 11:45 AM) on the 20th and announced he will leave the show at the end of September.

Near the end of the show, as the cast lined up together, Mitsuyoshi Uchimura turned to Wakabayashi and said, “Now, there’s an announcement from the show.” Wakabayashi reported, “I’ll be graduating from ‘School Kakumei!’ as of September. Thank you very much!”

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

What people said

6AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:01
He's nearly 50 now — maybe he's making room for a younger talent from the same talent agency.
9AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:03
Sandwichman, Bananaman, and now Audrey too — all dropping out.
10AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:03
Stepping down over throat trouble? Are the other regulars going to quit too?
56AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:58
Re: #10
Is there any show besides this one where he's still expected to act like a comedian? That's exactly it — this guy's already stopped being a comedian.
11AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:04
I've always wondered — with Uchimura already there, is Wakabayashi even necessary? Kasuga's fine since he plays a different role, though.
24AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:14
Re: #11
He used to be the one managing Kasuga back in the days when Kasuga was a total loose cannon, but that's not needed anymore.
12AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:04
I watch it for Meruru and Hikaru Takahashi.
76AnonymousSep 20, 2026 16:43
Re: #12
Sei-chan stopped showing up at some point without me noticing, so now I only catch it occasionally.
13AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:04
Same as with 'Iitomo,' 'Seven Rules,' and 'Hirunandesu' — he just up and quits these shows.
15AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:05
Meruru's edges have softened and she's gotten incredibly cute.
16AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:05
So this was her first regular gig? I thought it was a Hinatazaka46 show.
17AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:07
It's a show only idol-fan otaku watch anyway. Audrey, who only pushes Sakamichi-group (Nogizaka/Hinatazaka) idols, is probably just in the way there.
19AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:12
Your late 40s is when your body and mind stop letting you push through — overdo it and you end up like Himura or Nainai's Okamura, dealing with depression or a breakdown.
21AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:12
17 years — Ucchan's shows just keep running forever.
25AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:16
This means his reigning radio show (Audrey's All Night Nippon) is on its way out too.
31AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:25
He doesn't seem to get basic loyalty and human decency to begin with — makes you wonder if things are okay at home.
32AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:26
Wakabayashi's been acting more like a self-styled pundit lately. Well, as long as Kasuga's doing fine, that's what really matters.
34AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:33
Please, whatever happens, don't end 'Achikochi Audrey.'
38AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:36
It's because he's got the morning drama (asadora) coming up.
58AnonymousSep 20, 2026 16:01
Re: #38
Isn't that Bakarhythm you're thinking of?
41AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:40
I don't think duos even get panel-show lineup spots together anymore.
48AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:46
Meruru's really mellowed out.
57AnonymousSep 20, 2026 16:00
Re: #48
Somehow that's not the Meruru I remember from about three years ago.
54AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:56
He's probably getting serious about writing because he was stung by his novel getting trashed.
64AnonymousSep 20, 2026 16:06
Re: #54
That's not going to work out. If your debut novel flops — the one with the most time, motivation, and marketing strategy behind it — that's a bad sign.
72AnonymousSep 20, 2026 16:37
Basically he's cutting back on TV work because he's making money online, right?
73AnonymousSep 20, 2026 16:39
Re: #72
The guy who calls people who comment on his social media 'gnats' is making money online?
78AnonymousSep 20, 2026 16:45
Re: #73
Apparently he writes essays on note (a Japanese blogging platform) and makes as much as 10 million yen a month from that alone.
81AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:10
Re: #78
Huh. Haven't heard anything about Seiten's sales lately, but good for him if he's making money writing. If I pulled in that kind of monthly income, I wouldn't bother working anywhere else either lol

Background and Points of Discussion

“School Kakumei!” is a long-running Sunday morning variety show on Nippon TV, also known for featuring members from Nogizaka46 and Hinatazaka46. This time, the only reason Wakabayashi himself gave for leaving was throat trouble, with no further details made public. Opinions on 5channel split between those accepting this explanation at face value and those who believe he’s shifting his focus toward his recent book and essay-writing on note; the latter view, however, is speculation based on past reporting and his social media behavior, and no evidence has been presented directly linking it to his departure. It’s also worth noting that comedians in their late 40s scaling back regular TV commitments isn’t unique to Wakabayashi — it’s described as a trend seen among other comedians of his generation as well.

*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Audrey’s Wakabayashi Leaving ‘School Kakumei!’ at End of September, Cites ‘Throat Trouble…’ — Kasuga Continues.”

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