Please Don't Destroy Departure
Martin Herlihy reportedly leaves Saturday Night Live after five impactful seasons.
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Key Points
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After remaining on the writing staff for Season 51, Herlihy continued to appear periodically in sketches including “Blowing It,” “Green Flags” and several “A Film by Martin Herlihy” pieces.
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During his run with Please Don’t Destroy, Herlihy appeared in dozens of sketches, including the “Roast” sketch with Dakota Johnson and a segment in which Taylor Swift called his character a “sad virgin.”
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Although the trio no longer appears together regularly on NBC, Please Don’t Destroy remains active outside SNL, touring and pursuing other projects together.
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Season 52 is expected to premiere September 26, which would be SNL’s earliest return in 14 years, according to a LateNighter report cited by Yahoo.
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Yahoo reported that Bowen Yang also departed after Season 51, making Chloe Fineman the second major Season 51 star to leave ahead of the new season.
Comedian Martin Herlihy is leaving Saturday Night Live after five seasons, Variety reported. Herlihy joined SNL in 2021 as part of the Please Don't Destroy comedy trio, spending four seasons writing and performing in their pre-recorded sketches before moving to the writing staff for Season 51.
His departure marks another major exit ahead of Season 52, following Chloe Fineman's decision to leave after seven seasons and Bowen Yang's exit after Season 51. Please Don't Destroy, the trio that made Herlihy famous on the show, is no longer a regular on-screen presence on NBC but continues working together on projects outside SNL.
From Sketch Trio Star to Writing Staff Member
During his first four years on SNL, Herlihy appeared in dozens of sketches as a core member of Please Don't Destroy. The trio created memorable moments, including a Variety-noted segment where Taylor Swift called his character a "sad virgin" and a roast sketch with Dakota Johnson that became fan favorites.
For Season 51, Herlihy shifted roles to focus on writing rather than performing. He still appeared in occasional pieces like "Blowing It," "Green Flags," and several "A Film by Martin Herlihy" segments, keeping some on-screen visibility while primarily contributing behind the scenes.
Please Don't Destroy Trio No Longer SNL Mainstay
The Please Don't Destroy trio's regular appearances on SNL have effectively ended. John Higgins already left the show, and Ben Marshall was promoted to the main cast, breaking up the group's traditional sketch lineup according to Variety.
However, the trio remains active outside NBC. Variety reported that Please Don't Destroy continues to tour and pursue other creative projects together, meaning their collaboration extends well beyond Saturday Night Live.
SNL's Major Cast Turnover Ahead of Season 52
Herlihy's departure is part of a significant shake-up at SNL entering its new season. Yahoo reported that Bowen Yang also left after Season 51, and Chloe Fineman exited after seven seasons, making it one of the show's larger turnover periods in recent years.
Yahoo also cited a LateNighter report indicating that Season 52 is expected to premiere September 26, which would mark SNL's earliest return in 14 years. The show will begin a new era with significant changes to its cast lineup.
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