SNL: Heidi Gardner says emotional goodbye to show

Heidi Gardner waved goodbye to Saturday Night Live after nearly a decade of unforgettable comedy.

The 42-year-old star, who joined the show in 2017 and became a main cast member in 2019, was set to leave ahead of the 51st season, which kicks off on October 4.

Variety broke the news of Gardner’s exit on August 28, revealing that the long-time SNL favourite would not be returning for the upcoming season.

The news sent social media into a frenzy, with fans sharing tributes and reminiscing about her funniest SNL moments.

“She will be missed – she’s a firecracker and I love her characters,” one Reddit user wrote, while another speculated that she may have chosen to leave to pursue new projects.

Gardner, known for characters like Angel, the perpetually busy co-worker, and teen critic Bailey Gismert, leaves a legacy as SNL’s longest-serving female cast member.

Reportedly, she was not the only star stepping away.

Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim were also exiting, leaving showrunner Lorne Michaels with a significantly smaller cast.

Of the current cast, only James Austin Johnson has been officially confirmed to return for the upcoming season.

Why did Heidi Gardner leave SNL?

Gardner revealed on Craig Ferguson’s podcast earlier this year that sketch fatigue had started to wear her down.

“I’ve written a lot of sketches… it’s been a little tough creatively,” she admitted, hinting that her departure was as much about self-care as career moves.

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