Martin Herlihy is leaving Saturday Night Live after five seasons, according to reports, in the latest departure from the long-running NBC sketch show ahead of its season 52 premiere.
Herlihy, 27, worked mainly as a writer but also appeared in sketches as a performer. His exit was reported by The Hollywood Reporter and comes just weeks before the programme returns on 26 September.
He is best known as one-third of the comedy group Please Don’t Destroy, alongside Ben Marshall and John Higgins. The trio became a regular presence on the show through its digital sketches.
Marshall was promoted to the full-time cast last year, while Higgins left amid a significant reshaping of the programme’s line-up. Herlihy’s departure now leaves Marshall as the only member of the group remaining in the cast.
Herlihy also has a family connection to the series. His father, Tim Herlihy, was a head writer on Saturday Night Live during the mid-1990s.
The announcement follows the departure of Chloe Fineman, who left the programme in July after seven seasons. She joined the show for its 45th season in 2019 and became a full-time cast member two years later.
In a statement at the time, Fineman said: “It’s really hard to leave SNL but it does feel like the right time. I’m going to miss it a lot. But the people who work there are my family and that place is my home, and I know I’ll never be too far away.”
She described the role as “the greatest privilege of my life” and said she was “forever in debt” to creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels.
Herlihy and Fineman are among a succession of performers and writers to leave the programme following its landmark 50th season. Bowen Yang departed in December, while Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow were also among those to exit during the wider cast shake-up.
The 52nd season of Saturday Night Live is due to begin on 26 September, with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson hosting the opening episode and global girl group KATSEYE providing the musical performance.
Dakota Johnson is scheduled to host the 3 October episode. Shane Gillis and Inde Navarrette are also due to present upcoming programmes, with Rosalía and Gracie Abrams among the announced musical guests.
