Martin Herlihy, a writer and performer on "Saturday Night Live," is reportedly leaving the show after five seasons, according to reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. His departure comes ahead of the Season 52 premiere on Sept. 26.
Herlihy joined "SNL" in 2021 as part of the Please Don’t Destroy comedy group, alongside Ben Marshall and John Higgins. The trio starred in and produced the show’s digital shorts. Their first short, "Hard Seltzer," aired in October 2021.
Following Season 50 in May 2025, the group dynamic shifted. Higgins departed the series, Marshall was promoted to the main cast, and Herlihy remained on the writing staff. Herlihy also made periodic sketch appearances during Season 51.
Herlihy's reported exit follows that of Chloe Fineman, who announced her departure in July after seven seasons. Fineman stated that while it was difficult to leave, she felt it was the right time for her next chapter.
NBC has not yet released the official cast list for "SNL" Season 52. The main cast for Season 51 included Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang, who departed mid-season.