Heidi Gardner and Michael Longfellow Join Wave of Exits from ‘SNL’ Ahead of Season 51

Another round of departures is hitting “Saturday Night Live” as the long-running sketch comedy show gears up for its 51st season.

CNN confirmed Thursday that Heidi Gardner and Michael Longfellow are leaving the cast, marking the third and fourth exits from the show this week.

Gardner, who joined “SNL” in 2017, spent eight seasons building a following with her quirky, neurotic characters and fan favorites, including “Angel,” the girlfriend character from countless boxing films. Longfellow, meanwhile, was part of the cast for three seasons.

Their announcements come shortly after Devon Walker and Emil Wakim revealed earlier in the week that they would not be returning. Walker, who spent three seasons with the show, described the workplace as “toxic as hell” in his Instagram post. Wakim, who was part of the cast for one season, called his exit a “gut punch” but expressed gratitude for the opportunity.

Cast changes are common for “SNL,” with updates typically coming in the weeks leading up to a new season. Last week, creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels hinted at “major changes” in an interview, signaling that announcements of new cast members would be coming soon.

“SNL” Season 51 is set to premiere on October 4 on NBC.

Credit: CNN Newsource

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.