Heidi Gardner Leaving SNL After 8 Seasons

Lorne Michaels’ prophecy of cast shakeups has come true, as Heidi Gardner is the latest Saturday Night Live player to announce that she won’t be a part of the upcoming 51st season. Gardner first joined the show in 2017, and was SNL’s longest tenured female cast member.

Gardner joins Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker, the three other cast members who revealed that they would be leaving the show this week. All three gentlemen had less tenure than Gardner, though, who’d become a Weekend Update favorite with characters like Angel, Every Boxer’s Girlfriend from Every Movie About Boxing Ever, and teen film critic Bailey Gismert.

There have been a fair number of goodbyes on Saturday Night Live in recent years, as 11 cast members ended up departing the series between Seasons 46 and 48, including Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Chris Redd, Melissa Villaseñor, and Kyle Mooney. Since that time, the biggest turnover happened prior to the start of Season 50, as Season 49 cast members Punkie Johnson, Molly Kearney, and Chloe Troast did not end up returning.

Meanwhile, the most senior cast member amongst the current Not Ready for Primetime Players remains Kenan Thompson, who has now been on the show for 22 seasons, ever since 2003. Way behind Thompson in the standings are Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost, who just completed his 12th season, and Michael Che (11 seasons). Mikey Day trails behind with only nine.

SNL spent the first half of 2025 celebrating its 50th season, including an in-depth documentary on the show’s music and a 50th anniversary special packed with stars. Season 51 is set to debut October 4th, 2025, on NBC.