Heidi Gardner’s exit from Saturday Night Live after eight years on the show’s cast may not have been voluntary.
The New York Post is reporting that Gardner’s contract was not renewed for Season 51 as part of the show’s larger cast shake-up. “It’s time for a new cast,” an insider told the outlet.
The Post notes that Dana Carvey said as much on his Fly on the Wall podcast yesterday, telling co-host David Spade that “from what I know as of this recording, it was not her idea to leave.” Carvey admitted he was “really surprised” when he heard Gardner would not be returning, praising her range and “likability” as a performer.
Gardner’s departure was first reported last week, following the exits of fellow cast members Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim. Five new featured players have since been added for the upcoming season.
Gardner has not publicly commented on her exit.
In an appearance on Craig Ferguson’s podcast earlier this year, Gardner said that she had begun to think about life after SNL, explaining that sketch ideas weren’t coming to her as easily as before. Still, the Post’s reporting suggests the ultimate call was not hers.
Gardner leaves the show with 159 episodes and more than 600 sketches to her name. In recent years, she has booked guest roles in You, Shrinking, and Girls5eva, as well as films like Adam Sandler’s Hustle and the upcoming Will Ferrell comedy Judgment Day. She also recently shot the indie feature Transcending in her hometown of Kansas City.
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Yeah no shit it wasn’t her decision.
Bizarre. She was the best remaining cast member, and they’ve already majorly shaken up the cast over the last few years with Cecily Strong, Kate McKinnon, Adie Bryant, Alex Moffat, Melissa Villasenor, etc. leaving.
That said, I haven’t really gelled with the “new” cast of the last 3 years (except Sarah Sherman and Bowen Yang), so maybe this is overall for the best. Not letting a veteran like Gardner leave on her own time is still lame though.
I hope Ego isn’t next! Ego has more star power than the rest of the cast. Plus she does comedy bang bang on the reg too. Weird how higgin’s son is leaving and breaking up the comedy writing troupe and hiring the red head as a lead now.
Not a shock….she’s too expensive for a pay increase merit for a program losing millions per year.
She’ll be ok…she currently in Homes.com commercial and a Buffalo Wild Wings commercial where she wants to have children with a buffalo.
agreeed.
yeah, she!! b in movies b4 we know it!!
SNL has not lived up to the standard for sometime now. Getting rid of a bright light like Heidi guarantees it won’t be getting any better.
Sad.
👍
She’s one of the best. Lorne’s getting to old for his job. Jay Pharaoh and Chris Redd were never used to their full potential.
exacty, Chris Redd and Jay P are very talented and should have been used more.
I concur
Ms. Gardner is one of my favorite performers, as is the entire cast the past five years.
So Loren, deleting your current cast for a new YOUNGER cast will TANK SNL faster than you can say “Time to retire LOREN!”
having the featured players is such a waste!! they’re hardly ever used and not given enough time to show their talent and not having it would give the rest of the cast more skits 2 b involved in
always about younger and prettier!! doesn’t mean they have talent!! yeah, retire and move 2 FL!!
that’s dumb
Yeh, and now they are pulling people from tik tok. Like not even actual comedians with talent. Just some random ass tok’rs. Bowen will be next probably.
BIG MISTAKE LOREN !!! HEIDI WAS AND IS ONE OF YOUR FEATURED COMICS !! SHE , ALONG WITH SARAH , CHLOE ,JANE ARE MAIN EVENT REASONS FOR ME TUNING IN !!!LOREN …IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT !!!
bowen, kenan and Marcellus 2!!
Loved her acting, her charisma was so charming.
I will miss her. She was someone, I looked forward to seeing on the show.
BRING HEIDI BACK
SHE DID OVER 60 PERCENT OF THE SKETCHES
SHE WAS THE BEST!!
LMichaels say you are sorry and made a mistake
agreed. Lorne needs to be replaced by fresh blood. who stays in a job for 50 yrs??!! that job needs FRESH BLOOD.
in a different business or co, few people r there 50 yrs!! even 30!! he’s a good run @ snl!!
I loved Chris Redd ! I agree
Absolutely loved her in “Shrinking”. She’ll land on her feet.
Last night, I worked on my laptop for around two hours every day and ended up earning $18,500. This method of making money is both deep and
straightforward.…?service.richjob2.com
What the fuck does that happen to do with SNL.
The Bros Got Rid of Her! And They Won’t Fire Blacks! Lame!
what? the first person who was announced to be leaving was Devon Walker. keep up.
👍
what? the first person announced to be leaving was Devon Walker. keep up.
She’s great in Shrinking! Good luck wherever you go, my fellow Chiefs fan!!
Great performer.Beevis and Butthead sketch was hilarious. The show will suffer.
that is the funniest bit in all 50 yrs 4 snl!!
oh. SNL is still on the air? I haven’t watched but a few skits over the last decade (ironically the ones i have aeen gave featured her). it hasn’t been funny for that long and then some. their very steep slide to the left was only part of it. now i expect a ahow like that to not hold punched when it comes to making fun of political parties, but it always used to be mostly split down the middle and neither side was safe. not anymore. People want to get a break from politics for a short time. and you can be funny while staying out of politics. seems like SNL is no longer capable of either.
Yes, SNL has somehow limped along without you.
Amazing, I know.
Saying you didn’t know a show that regularly makes national news and is commonly viral on YT isn’t saying what you think its saying.
Typical MAGA statement. They wouldn’t think it funny.They love Trumpee too much.She was the best performer they had in my opinion.
yawwwwwwn
new material needed from the commenter
SNL is a constant changing amorphous show that moves with the times. What is happening in our world right now is pretty much surrounded by politics and the moronic decision making behind all of it. This doesn’t mend well with the right as they can never take a joke if made fun of, while also living in the past. Because that is what conservatism is all about, you cannot change with the times so you’re stuck in the past. Also don’t get me started on the religical ones too! Ugh 😣. I believe I’ll get a super power before ever believing a non science based system where a big man in the clouds shat out the world and think evolution is non existent 😂🤪🤪
How do they get rid of Heidi and not that new female cast member who has been unbelievably bad?! I don’t even know her name. She does this dead pan thing and plays a piano on the update skit. Wow she is very, very bad, not remotely funny in any way, and she is still there?! I have literally changed channel when she is on. Jeez what is wrong with Loren? Get Heidi back!
She was one of the reasons I watched SNL. Changes were needed and zim hoping the show will become funny again. Heidi will do well on the big screen where she belongs
She was the best performer they had in my opinion.
wow, that’s 2 bad!! what’s lorne thinking??!! she ‘s 1 of my favorites!! don’t much care 4 him!! I think he’s a hard ass and looks like 1!! always has a serious look and attitude and needs 2 chill out how old is he??!! time 2 change!!
She is so funny and multitalented. For sure a money issue. Bring her back !
I am totally shocked at Heidi’s leaving & if it’s true that it wasn’t her decision then it’s a very stupid decision on snl’s part, Heidi & Ego are the best, beautiful & very talented (Sara’s there also) the show just lost alot with Heidi gone, don’t know if I’ll watch as much now, this is a big loss
totally luv ego 2!!
totally luv ego 2!!
Another one of Lorne Michaels dumbass moves!
Sounds like a rumor. She clearly said she had sketch fatigue
who cares? show sucks for 30 years
Please stop framing cast turnover as high drama. Cast members come and go, that’s how it works. This isn’t Survivor.
Losing Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow and Please Don’t Destroy are 3 of the worst decisions Lorne has ever made and as someone who’s watched from the beginning and barely survived the Doumanian years that’s really saying something. Boo. Big time boo. (my 31 year old daughter agrees)
Heidi has captured my attention a lot lately, she has a genuine and commanding skill, her wit and cadence is timely. I watched her more the last few years as she’s grown so much and her confidence now seems so secure; the Beavis and Butthead skit is seared into my memory, and when I need a laugh, I go back to it often. I realize many celebrities do commercials now, it waters down their talent being overseen so much. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so I hope she concentrates on something that lasts more than a minute. I will be cutting back my viewing of SNL, as I usually do when they mangle and tangle a good cast.
Was this written by AI?
Yea, I love the Beavis and Butt Head sketch. Her breaking character laughing made it even more funny. Like you I go back and watch it when I need a good laugh. At least we get to see her as Marci in the Homes.com commercials. They could have used her in a sketch spoofing those commercials.
She was obviously the wrong sexual orientation for Lorne.
Good riddance, all her chara ters were whiny and annoying. Been watching since the inaugural season and I am definitely not gonna miss her.
But Keenan is still there for his 30th season
Now there’s someone who’s hung around for far too long!
heidi, mikey day and Michaël Longfellow will be sorely missed. SNL has been more hit than miss for decades.
That’s crazy I love her she was one of the best ones on there!
Bad decision. Heidi was a fantastic and lead player. Her characters were iconic and her range unsurpassable.
this decision will be regretted by all
I thought she was wonderful! Sad to hear she won’t be on SNL.
it called cute back they wanted to get her at a discount
Why don’t employers acknowledge and reward excellence?
I LIKED HER!
love her.
she will be missed. always funny. seen her save bad skits
check out whole travis kelce episode. she’s dope. a great talent
keven
It is hard to believe they would let her go and keep Jane Wickline.
That us just crazy not bringing back Hiedi Gardner!She is the best female on the show and one of tge 3 top funny people still on the show!Lorne is making a huge mistake on this one!Thatbeing said,she has nothing tobworry about in her future I doubt but SNL may have chewed their own foot off here!!
Heidi was the best thing on SNL. I Will not watch it again.
I was honestly pissed that she broke character during the Beavis and Butthead sketch! I had a feeling that even though everyone thought it was “funny” I really wondered if that didn’t seal her fate. Breaking character shouldn’t be applauded on a sketch show.
NBC should’ve been told this when they decided to give Jimmy Fallon of all people his own show!
People have been doing that since the beginning, it happens and it’s funny when it does. In the 70’s the first cast laughed often and we loved it. John Belushi made the whole cast laugh. Those were the best shows…
whatever. Let me ask has no one ever broke character? So sorry that pissed you off.
It’s a rare and beautiful moment when a new cast member, from the very beginning, makes my life richer by gifting me their talent.
Cecilia Strong did the same. Most new cast members do not.
I compare it to the first 5 seconds I was exposed to Lauren Hills’ voice in the Fugees. The immediate pleasure i felt watching Florence and the Machine for the first time. The time Cypress Hill became a part of my story.
A decision made and implemented to create change, that believes Heidi G must be replaced, and not seen as a woman that is capable of adding value to the future direction of SNL is….is….I am unable to complete my point. My brain is unable to process or compute the data. I can’t understand the mind that made this decision in the same way I cannot process how a racist or abuser thinks.
What a gut punch. Fans are being robbed of her brilliance.
Ill miss her big time!
😥😥😥😥😥
What they need, but would never do, is hire a more conservative comedian to balance out the far left liberal leaning show. I’m not holding my breath.
She was an asset to the show and hope to see her on screen!
Heidi is wonderful in whatever she does. She has a fan in me.I will not be watching SNL, it is their loss.
Lorne seems to have lost his Midas touch . He manages to find the talent but seems to let them go before their time . Heidi Gardner seemed to be the anchor on this ship . I actually felt that she has been the star of the show for the last 3 plus seasons. Her range is incredible that’s why she has been hired to do commercial work for Buffalo Wild Wings & Homes. Com