First on LateNighter: After five years, that’s a wrap for Martin Herlihy on Saturday Night Live.
Show insiders tell us the writer/performer and Please Don’t Destroy member is not returning for Season 52.
Herlihy’s departure comes one year after Please Don’t Destroy stopped appearing as a trio on SNL. John Higgins left the show following Season 50, while Ben Marshall was promoted from writer to featured player for Season 51.
Herlihy remained as a writer and continued to turn up on screen.
During Season 51, Herlihy starred in a series of pretaped shorts billed under his own name, establishing a new solo lane after four seasons of Please Don’t Destroy films.
All told, Herlihy appeared in 42 sketches over his five seasons at SNL: 34 Please Don’t Destroy shorts, three “A Film by Martin Herlihy” pieces, and five additional sketches.
Herlihy, Marshall, and Higgins joined SNL as writers in 2021, with their Please Don’t Destroy videos quickly becoming a regular part of the show. The trio’s fast-paced, increasingly elaborate shorts frequently featured that week’s host or musical guest alongside the three writers.
Marshall’s status going into Season 52 has not yet been officially announced. Assuming he returns, he’ll be the lone member of the comedy troupe still working at SNL.
Please Don’t Destroy remains active as a trio, with Herlihy, Marshall, and Higgins continuing to perform live together even as they pursue solo projects. Just last night, the three played a pair of shows in Brooklyn.
SNL’s 52nd season kicks off September 26. Earlier this summer, seven-year cast member Chloe Fineman announced she won’t be returning this fall. Any other cast departures have yet to be revealed; the show held in-studio screen tests for potential new featured players two weeks ago.
If recent years are any guide, SNL should soon officially unveil its Season 52 cast, with the season’s first hosts announced shortly thereafter.
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