The exodus from Saturday Night Live<\/a> continues. Following the recent departures of Michael Longfellow<\/a>, Emil Wakim<\/a>, and Devon Walker<\/a> ahead of Season 51, Heidi Gardner<\/a> is also reportedly leaving the long-running NBC sketch comedy series.<\/p>\n Variety<\/a> broke the news on August 28.<\/p>\n Best known for her characters Angel, \u201cEvery Boxer\u2019s Girlfriend\u201d; teen movie critic Bailey Gismert; and the clueless Allison, as well as for her impressions of Drew Barrymore<\/a>, Melania Trump<\/a>, and Allison Janney<\/a>, Gardner became one of the most featured and popular players on the late-night variety show.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cWeekend Update<\/a>\u201d desk as a full-time cast member.<\/p>\n Wakim revealed the news of his departure on August 27. \u00a0In an Instagram<\/a> post, he said it \u201cwas a gut punch of a call,\u201d and he was actually at Six Flags celebrating a friend\u2019s birthday when he found out the news that he wouldn\u2019t return.<\/p>\n Walker announced his departure in an Instagram post with the caption: \u201cme and baby broke up<\/p>\n \u2764<\/p>\n \u201d He further stated: \u201cTo me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of \u2018em last for a long time if we\u2019re lucky, but most of them are fleeting. Permanent until they\u2019re not. That\u2019s the deal. You know what it is when you sign up.\u201d<\/p>\n SNL creator Lorne Michaels<\/a> recently suggested that changes to the existing cast were likely in an interview with\u00a0Puck,\u00a0<\/a>stating that<\/span>\u00a0he felt the need to \u201creinvent this season\u201d after making no substantial cast adjustments for the landmark 50th season. He explained that Season 50 remained intact because \u201cthere couldn\u2019t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the season].\u201d<\/p>\n According to Michaels, it was important that everything stay on track to highlight the milestone year of the SNL \u2014 and, he added, \u201cwe had an election.\u201d<\/p>\n Saturday Night Live<\/strong>, Season 51 Premiere, October 4, 11:30\/10:30c, NBC<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n