Saturday Night Live is going into its 51st season with one of its biggest cast shake-ups in recent memory. According to The New York Times, NBC has added five new names to the ensemble just days after confirming several departures. The headline grabber is Ben Marshall, best known as part of the comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy.

Marshall will now move from digital sketches into the main cast. John Higgins is leaving the show, while Martin Herlihy is expected to stay on as a writer, the Times reported.

Joining Marshall are four other fresh faces: stand-up Kam Patterson, known from Kill Tony; Veronika Slowikowska, featured on Vulture’s 2024 “Comedians You Should and Will Know” list; Tommy Brennan, who recently appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; and Jeremy Culhane, familiar to fans of Dropout’s comedy projects.

Four cast members exit

The changes come a week after NBC confirmed that Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim would not return. Gardner, who had been with the show since 2017, created recurring characters like Angel, “every boxer’s girlfriend,” and Bailey Gismert, a teenage critic with a shaky webcam. She now stars in the Apple TV+ dramedy Shrinking.

Also read: Saturday Night Live Season 51: Premiere date, how to watch, cast and more

Walker, who joined in 2021, portrayed everyone from Frank Ocean to Shannon Sharpe. In his farewell on social media, he said working at SNL was “sometimes really cool” and at other times “toxic as hell.”

Longfellow, promoted to the main cast last year, made his biggest mark on Weekend Update. He called his three years on the show “the best three years of my life so far.” Wakim, who lasted just one season, admitted the exit felt like “a gut punch of a call” but said he was grateful for the experience.

Lorne Michaels hinted at shake-up

Show creator Lorne Michaels had already suggested changes were coming when he spoke in August. The Times noted that NBC hasn’t commented on whether more departures are ahead. Michaels did confirm that James Austin Johnson will keep playing Donald Trump, a role he debuted in 2021.

Season 50 marked a milestone year for SNL. NBC rolled out a prime-time special, a concert, and a documentary about the show’s music. Ratings spiked too – viewership jumped 12 percent over season 49, and the show was once again the top-rated broadcast among adults 18–49, the demographic advertisers value most.

With Marshall, Patterson, Slowikowska, Brennan, and Culhane stepping in, Michaels is clearly trying to refresh the mix for season 51.

FAQs

Who are the new cast members joining SNL season 51?

Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, Veronika Slowikowska, Tommy Brennan, and Jeremy Culhane.

Which cast members are leaving SNL?

Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim.

What role will James Austin Johnson continue playing?

He will return as Donald Trump.

Why was season 50 significant for SNL?

It marked the show’s 50th anniversary, celebrated with a prime-time special, a concert, and a documentary.