PLOT TWIST

‘SNL’ Star Heidi Gardner Had Contract Terminated: Report

Gardner had been on the show for eight seasons before it was revealed she wouldn’t be returning.

Saturday Night Live’s Heidi Gardner didn’t choose to leave the show, according to a new report from the New York Post. The site quotes an anonymous “insider” who said the star’s contract was not renewed, as “It’s time for a new cast.” The report appears to confirm comments made Wednesday by SNL alum and Fly On The Wall host Dana Carvey, who said, “From what I know as of this recording, it was not her idea to leave.” Gardner has yet to directly address the news of her departure, which was reported around the same time that newer cast members Emil Wakim, Devon Walker, and Michael Longfellow each revealed that they were not asked back for Season 51. However, even while the bloodbath continued as SNL boss Lorne Michaels promised it would after the 50th season, Gardner’s exit was largely assumed to be voluntary. She’d been a fan-favorite on the cast throughout her long tenure on the show, and had expressed she’d been feeling some “tough” sketch “fatigue” after eight years in the cast. The Daily Beast has reached out to both her representatives and NBC for comment but has not received any response. As part of the shakeup, the show announced five new cast members, including MAGA comedian protegé Kam Patterson.