Martin Herlihy is leaving “Saturday Night Live” after five seasons, a source confirms to Variety.
The comedian served on the writing staff for Season 51 after spending four seasons on screen as a member of the sketch trio Please Don’t Destroy.
NBC declined to comment.
As part of a cast overhaul after Season 50, “SNL” split up Please Don’t Destroy, with John Higgins departing the NBC series and Ben Marshall getting upped to main cast. Herlihy remained on staff as a writer, appearing on screen periodically with sketches like “Blowing It” and “Green Flags” as well as a few of his “A Film by Martin Herlihy” pieces.
With Please Don’t Destroy, Herlihy acted in dozens of sketches, often playing a fictionalized version of himself. He sparred with Dakota Johnson in the fan-favorite “Roast” sketch and was deemed a “sad virgin” by Taylor Swift.
While Herlihy, Higgins and Marshall no longer share the screen on NBC, Please Don’t Destroy is still an active comedy trio that tours and pursues projects outside of “SNL” together. The three co-starred in the Peacock movie “Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain” in 2023, and Herlihy’s recent film credits have included “The Breadwinners,” “Roommates,” “The Running Man” and “Happy Gilmore 2,” which was co-written by his dad, longtime Adam Sandler collaborator Tim Herlihy.
Herlihy is the second major departure ahead of “SNL’s” upcoming Season 52, following Chloe Fineman’s exit in July. Fineman, who is known for her impressions of Jennifer Coolidge and Drew Barrymore, among others, left Studio 8H after seven seasons.
LateNighter broke the news of Herlihy’s exit.

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