Did Heidi Gardner Really Leave SNL? The Real Story

Heidi Gardner is officially out at SNL before Season 51 kicks off. No Instagram notes, no goodbye speech on air — just a quiet exit in the middle of a bigger-than-usual cast reshuffle. Here is what actually happened, what people close to the show are saying, and what Gardner says she wants to do next.

The quick history

Gardner joined SNL in 2017 and moved up to repertory player in 2019. That is eight seasons total — a long run by modern SNL standards. And Season 51 is already a shakeup: several familiar faces, including Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker, have departed as the show refreshes the lineup.

Was this her choice?

Officially, Gardner has not said anything about why she is leaving.

Unofficially, an insider told the New York Post that her contract was not renewed for Season 51 and framed it as part of a reset.

'It is time for a new cast.'

Again, Gardner has not commented on that claim or on her exit at all.

What people in the comedy world are saying

Dana Carvey addressed the news on 'Fly on the Wall,' his podcast with David Spade. He made it sound like this was not Gardner pushing the eject button herself, while also hedging that he is going off what he has read.

'From what I know as of this recording, that it was not her idea to leave. I could be wrong about that, but that is what I read.'

Carvey also praised her range — the straight-news anchor type, big physical characters — and said he was surprised she would be gone.

What Gardner wants to do next

In a previous interview with Late Nighter, Gardner said she is eyeing her own show — something she could co-star in and co-write, with a character and world she can live in for a while. She also admitted that after years at the Groundlings and eight seasons at SNL, she sometimes feels the grind of sketches week after week. On weeks when the ideas are not flowing, she said she is grateful for the writers who throw her pitches to play with.

The read on all this

This looks like a standard SNL turnover: a veteran with a long run leaves as the show brings in fresh faces, and the messaging stays mostly off the record. Whether the call came from the show or from Gardner, it lines up with her own talk about wanting to build something of her own next — and, honestly, after eight seasons, who would not want to try that?