The exodus from Saturday Night Live continues. Following the recent departures of Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker ahead of Season 51, Heidi Gardner is also reportedly leaving the long-running NBC sketch comedy series.
Variety broke the news on August 28.
Best known for her characters Angel, “Every Boxer’s Girlfriend”; teen movie critic Bailey Gismert; and the clueless Allison, as well as for her impressions of Drew Barrymore, Melania Trump, and Allison Janney, Gardner became one of the most featured and popular players on the late-night variety show.
Earlier in the day, Longfellow, who joined the cast in Season 48, announced he would not return for Season 51. The news came as a surprise to Saturday Night Live fans, as he had reportedly been in consideration to join the “Weekend Update” desk as a full-time cast member.
Wakim revealed the news of his departure on August 27. In an Instagram post, he said it “was a gut punch of a call,” and he was actually at Six Flags celebrating a friend’s birthday when he found out the news that he wouldn’t return.
Walker announced his departure in an Instagram post with the caption: “me and baby broke up
❤
” He further stated: “To me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of ‘em last for a long time if we’re lucky, but most of them are fleeting. Permanent until they’re not. That’s the deal. You know what it is when you sign up.”
SNL creator Lorne Michaels recently suggested that changes to the existing cast were likely in an interview with Puck, stating that he felt the need to “reinvent this season” after making no substantial cast adjustments for the landmark 50th season. He explained that Season 50 remained intact because “there couldn’t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the season].”
According to Michaels, it was important that everything stay on track to highlight the milestone year of the SNL — and, he added, “we had an election.”
Saturday Night Live, Season 51 Premiere, October 4, 11:30/10:30c, NBC
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