Studio 8H is ready for new laughs.
Ahead of the Season 51 premiere of “Saturday Night Live,” a slew of cast members have departed the sketch comedy series.
Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, and Heidi Gardner are not returning to the late-night show.
However, as the show gears up for its premiere, “SNL” has added five new faces to the mix.
NBC announced that comedians Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska will all make their debuts on the sketch comedy show next month.
Season 51 airs on Saturday, Oct. 4, on NBC at 11:30 ET.
Keep reading for all the stars who have left, joined, or are returning to “SNL” ahead of the upcoming run.
Heidi Gardner
The comedian, 42, is exiting “SNL” after eight years on the show.
Gardner’s contract with “Saturday Night Live” was not renewed, an insider told The Post.
“It’s time for a new cast,” the insider said.
Gardner has yet to publicly address her departure.
The actress was the longest-tenured woman on the show as of last season.
She first joined the Lorne Michaels-created show during Season 43 as a featured player.
Gardner was promoted to the main cast in 2019.
Some of the star’s most memorable characters appeared on “Weekend Update,” including Bailey Gismert, a teen movie critic, and Angel, “every boxer’s girlfriend from every movie about boxing ever.”
In recent years, Gardner has branched out to acting, starring as Grace in the Apple TV+ show “Shrinking.”
The comedian had previously hinted about possibly stepping back from “SNL.”
“I will say, the only thing that I’ve started to feel a little bit is just sketch fatigue, or idea fatigue,” she detailed while on Craig Ferguson’s podcast, “Joy.” “At this point, after doing Groundlings and ‘SNL’ for so long, I’m like, ‘I’ve written a lot of sketches.’”
Michael Longfellow
Longfellow, 31, who joined the show in Season 48, won’t be back for Season 51, either.
After news broke, the comic published a farewell message.
“Will not be returning for a 4th season at SNL. Wish I was but, so it goes. It was the best three years of my life so far. I feel nothing but gratitude for the experience and everyone there. Lorne, you gave me the greatest job in the world and changed my life. You even put my mom on TV. Thank you doesnt begin to cover it, but thank you,” Longfellow began on Instagram.
“I’ll miss it all, but I’ll miss the friends I made and seeing them everyday the most,” concluded the star. “Excited for the future and things to come. If you take anything away from my time on SNL let it be that smoking you makes you skinny and popular, Jesus was Chinese, and if a tortoise ever gives you trouble just kill him tough guy. You wont.”
Longfellow said he found out he wasn’t asked back while at a Utah airport, telling the Daily Beast, he was waiting to board a flight when his agent called with the news.
The outlet reported that Michaels, 80, was not on the call.
Devon Walker
It was revealed last month that Walker, 34, would not return to “SNL” after three seasons. He penned a long message reminiscing about his time on the show.
Walker shared a selfie to Instagram in front of a screen that said “Saturday Night Live,” a text message he wrote that read “I’m out” with a celebratory emoji, a picture of himself on the sketch comedy set and a shot of Joe Biden stomping the ground.
“To me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages,” he said in a personal note shared in the carousel. “Some of em last for a long time if we’re lucky, but most of them are fleeting. Permanent until they’re not. That’s the deal. You know what it is… when you sign up.”
“Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool. Sometimes it was toxic as hell,” Walker continued. “But we did what we made the most of what it was, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f–ked up lil family.”
“More than anything, I’m just really happy I got to do it with Gary and Alex. N—– really went from running a bar show to working together at 30 rock! It’s a beautiful thing. Also I look caked up in that picture and I feel like it’s important for people to know what I got going on.”
“Anyway, I’m bout to go to Japan. When I get back I’m tryna be in a prestige drama. Ideally something with Julianne Moore. Hope y’all staying hydrated and getting some money today,” concluded the “SNL” alum.
After news broke, fans took to social media to react to the shakeup.
One viewer wrote about Walker and Longfellow on X: “ohhh my boys @internetdevon @Longfellowww i wish you both nothing but the best.”
Walker reposted the comment and responded, “yall acting like we died lol we just getting different jobs.”
Emil Wakim
Wakim, 27, is making his exit after one season.
“I won’t be returning to snl next year,” he began in an Instagram post published late last month. “It was a gut punch of a call to get but i’m so grateful for my time there.”
“Every time i scanned into the building i would think how insane it is to get to work there,” he continued. “It was the most terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding experience of my life and i will miss it dearly and all the brilliant people that work there that made it feel like a home.”
“I was so lucky to bring some of myself in there and say things i believed in and i’m excited for whatever chapter comes next,” the comedian concluded. “Here’s to making more art without compromise.”
Wakim joined “SNL” during its milestone 50th season alongside fellow newcomers Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline.
Shortly before Wakim’s announcement, Michaels hinted there would be major cast changes ahead of the new season.
The producer replied “yes” when asked if he plans to “shake things up” with a new cast during an interview with Puck News.
“It’ll be announced in a week or so,” he added.
Veronika Slowikowska
The Canadian actress, 29, is best known for her online comedy sketches with her partner Kyle Chase.
Slowikowska has appeared in Shane Gillis’ comedy “Tires” and the show “What We Do in the Shadows.”
“Dream come true 🥲 see you Saturdays @nbcsnl,” she penned on Instagram after the news broke.
Jeremy Culhane
Culhane hails from Altadena, Calif.
The actor, 33, first rose to popularity with his viral TikTok videos, garnering over 40 million views. He also stars as a regular on Dropout TV.
“Holy s–t I think. @nbcsnl,” he cheekily captioned a photo announcing his latest gig.
He has also appeared in “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “American Vandal.”
Kam Patterson
The 26-year-old comedian will also be joining “Saturday Night Live” for Season 51.
Patterson is best known for his stand-up comedy and his role on Tony Hinchcliffe’s “Kill Tony” podcast.
“Monday nights changed my life 💫 let’s see how i do on Saturdays 🫡 @nbcsnl,” he wrote on social media.
Patterson is also slated to appear in Kevin Hart’s upcoming movie “72 Hours.”
Tommy Brennan
Before landing a slot on Season 51 of “SNL,” Brennan was selected as a Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy in 2023.
The comic has also performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and did improv at the iconic Second City.
Throughout his career, he has opened for Nikki Glaser and Taylor Tomlinson.
“This doesn’t feel real, but we’ll see you guys on Saturdays! @nbcsnl,” he wrote on Instagram.
Ben Marshall
Marshall, 30, has been a writer on “SNL” for four seasons and has now been upped to a main cast member.
After joining the writing staff in 2021, he regularly appeared on-camera with his Please Don’t Destroy co-members (PDD).
“I love these boys so much,” he wrote alongside pictures of PDD. “I couldn’t be more grateful to have gotten into this business with my two best friends. Getting to write for SNL together and make our own videos for the show was beyond our wildest dreams- and I’m so proud of everything we’ve made so far. This is a new chapter, but we’re not going to stop working together anytime soon. Thanks to anyone who has watched our videos, watched our movie, or seen us on tour. It means the world. PDD 4 ever.”
Colin Jost
Scarlett Johansson confirmed that her husband, Colin Jost, would be returning to “SNL” for Season 51 while promoting her directorial debut, “Eleanor the Great,” at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 7.
“He’s going back to work,” the actress, 40, told Entertainment Weekly.
However, Johansson couldn’t confirm whether she’ll be involved in another iconic “Weekend Update” joke swap segment with her husband and Michael Che.
“I think that’s basically the MO over at 30 Rock is that everything is like moments before,” she explained. “It’s usually like Friday night before the Saturday show.”
‘SNL’ Season 51 finalizes cast
“SNL” finalized the cast for Season 51 on Monday, Sept. 8, and a handful of fan-favorites were confirmed to be returning to Studio 8H for its Oct. 4 premiere.
Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim and Chloe Fineman are coming back, while Kenan Thompson will also return for a record-breaking 23rd season on the NBC sketch comedy series.
Jost and Che would retake their seats behind the “Weekend Update” desk for their 12th year reading the news together, too.
Other stars slated to come back when the new season kicks off include Mikey Day, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernández, Andrew Dismukes and James Austin Johnson, as well as Season 50 newcomers Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline.
