As rumors continue to swirl that several longtime Saturday Night Live cast members are planning to leave the show ahead of its 51st season, some encouraging news for fans of Heidi Gardner.
Gardner, who just wrapped her eighth season on the legendary sketch show seems poised to return. That is, if we’re to read between the lines of an item up for auction at this weekend’s Big Slick Celebrity Weekend.
The item in question, donated by Gardner, promises the winning bidder the opportunity to attend one of next season’s SNL episodes, and to join Gardner for a behind-the-scenes set tour and to be her guest at the show’s famous after-party.
Though it’s far from an official confirmation, with the show and its many cast members going out of their way not to comment on plans for next season, it’s the first indication that Gardner at least intends to return to SNL in September.
Gardner is one of several cast members thought to have been mulling an exit from the show this year. She made made news in February during an appearance on Craig Ferguson’s podcast when she told the host that sketch ideas had stopped coming to her as readily as they once did, and that she’d begun considering what might be next for her.
Gardner is one of the hosts of this weekend’s Big Slick, which benefits Children’s Mercy Hospital in her hometown of Kansas City. Also joining her this year at the star-studded event is fellow current castmate Kenan Thompson and SNL alums Robert Smigel, Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis, each of whom have longstanding connections to the event.
if she leaves, I’m taking the kids to my sistahs!