The listing of solid members leaving SNL forward of season 51 is getting longer, with a couple of extra comedians confirmed to be exiting the present. Thus far, there are 4 names confirmed to be leaving Saturday Night time Stay: Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, and Heidi Gardner.
The solid shakeup started with Devon Walker, who introduced his departure from this system on August 25, 2025. Two days later, Emil Wakim additionally confirmed he was exiting, changing into the most recent within the rising listing of comedians leaving SNL after only a single season.
On Thursday, August 28, 2025, two extra names have been added to the listing of SNL exits. Michael Longfellow confirmed his exit from the present after three seasons in an Instagram publish on August 28, 2025. The information got here as a shock to some, particularly as a result of Longfellow screen-tested for Weekend Replace in Might, per LateNighter.
Simply hours after Longfellow’s announcement, Selection confirmed that Heidi Gardner would even be leaving SNL. She has been within the sketch present for eight seasons and was named the longest-tenured present feminine solid member in SNL 50. Nonetheless, her exit was much less of a shock to some, as she had hinted months earlier about probably transferring on.
Again in February 2025, Gardner advised fellow comic Craig Ferguson on his podcast Pleasure that she was feeling “sketch fatigue or thought fatigue” after so a few years performing each on Saturday Night time Stay and with The Groundlings.
“WTF is occurring”: Former and present solid members react to comedians leaving SNL
With 4 solid members, to date, leaving SNL, asserting their departure from the sketch present in just some days, reactions have poured in from each former and present solid members. Punkie Johnson, who was a part of this system since 2020 earlier than exiting in 2024, commented underneath Michael Longfellow’s announcement on Thursday, August 28:
“WTF is occurring… That is just like the departed.”
Johnson additionally commented underneath The SNL Community’s Instagram publish confirming Heidi Gardner was leaving SNL, writing:
“Ahhhhhh Lawd not my Heidi.”
The comic added that Gardner’s departure was the “largest shock” of the continuing shake-up however praised her “nice run,” calling Gardner an SNL legend.
Emil Wakim, who introduced that he was leaving SNL a day earlier than, additionally commented on Longfellow’s publish, saying:
“Yellow room without end u can play as many bones songs as u need.”
Longfellow’s exit additionally earned a remark from Molly Shannon, who was within the sketch comedy collection from 1995 to 2001, who wrote:
“You RULE Michael.”
Shannon added that she was honored and glad to have gotten the possibility to work with Longfellow. Forged members Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang, and extra have additionally taken to social media to share their reactions.
As per Deadline, past the solid departures, SNL’s writing group has additionally seen modifications. Two writers have left forward of season 51: Celeste Yim, who had been with the present for 5 years, and Rosebud Baker, who joined the writing workers in 2022.
Keep tuned for extra information and updates, together with doable solid exits and extra casting information, as Saturday Night time Stay season 51 returns on NBC on October 4, 2025.
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Edited by Sriparna Barui
