Heidi Gardner is exiting Saturday Night Live.
Gardner joined in Season 43 when she joined as a featured player and was promoted to the main cast in 2019.
She becomes the most high-profile exit ahead of Season 50. It follows the departures of the likes of Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow.
Gardner’s depature comes after she signposted such a move earlier this year. She admitted that things have gotten a “little tough”. Speaking to comedian Craig Ferguson, who used to host The Late Late Show, on his podcast Joy, she said, “I will say the only thing that I’ve started to feel a little bit is just sketch fatigue, or idea fatigue,” she admitted. “At this point, after doing Groundlings and SNL for so long, I’m like, ‘I’ve written a lot of sketches.’”
The Shrinking star, who was in talks to star in an NBC pilot, also stoked rumors on social media earlier this year, when she revealed that the cast of the show, as well as a number of writers, had been on a “retreat” in Tarrytown, which is in upstate New York, next to Sleepy Hollow, ahead of the season finale.
“My heart is so full being with this vibrant family of mine. The things we do remind me of the fun of the past. The things we experience together keep me present and watching each person be their authentic self makes me so hopeful for the future,” she wrote on Instagram.
She went viral last year during the Beavis and Butt-Head sketch when she cracked while playing NewsNation host Bobbi More. She is also known for characters such as Angel (Every Boxer’s Girlfriend from Every Movie About Boxing Ever), teen film critic Bailey Gismert and Crystal (Your Co-Worker Who is Extremely Busy Doing Seemingly Nothing).
The post ‘SNL’: Heidi Gardner Leaving After Eight Years appeared first on Deadline.
