US EditionHeidi Gardner Out at 'SNL' Amid String of Cast, Writer Departures
Heidi Gardner, longest-tenured female cast member, exits after eight seasons amid producer Lorne Michaels' planned overhaul following SNL's 50th anniversary.
- In August 2025, Heidi Gardner was confirmed not to be returning to Saturday Night Live after eight seasons, ahead of Season 51 premiering October 4, 2025.
- Michaels told Puck News he planned to reshape the cast after the 50th season, saying, `There couldn't be those kind of disruptions, or anything that was going to take the focus off .`
- Several performers announced exits, including Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim and Devon Walker, with Wakim calling his departure a "gut punch" on Instagram and Walker reflecting, `Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool`.
- Gardner's exit removes a veteran presence from the cast, as she was the longest-tenured active female member, while writers including Rosebud Baker are also leaving, signaling broader creative turnover at SNL ahead of Season 51.
- With two months to go before Season 51, various news outlets including Variety noted the timing of multiple cast departures, shocking SNL audiences and fans as questions arose about the reasons.
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Heidi Gardner out at 'SNL' amid string of cast, writer departures
Heidi Gardner is leaving “Saturday Night Live" ("SNL") after eight seasons, and she’s not the only one. Multiple cast members and writers have announced their departure in the days following Gardner’s exit,. Variety reported the news on Thursday, as “SNL” gears up for its 51st season this fall. Lorne Michaels teases changes with few details In a rare interview with Puck News on Aug. 22, “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, 80, hinted at a major shakeup…
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Heidi Gardner not returning to 'Saturday Night Live' after 8 seasons
Heidi Gardner is leaving “Saturday Night Live” after eight seasons.
·Chicago, United States
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Total News Sources17
Leaning Left7Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Left
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources lean Left
64% Left
L 64%
C 36%
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