Big Studio 8H Shakeup: Please Don't Destroy Star Martin Herlihy Leaving Saturday Night Live

Studio 8H is bidding farewell to one of its key digital creators. Comedy writer and performer Martin Herlihy is officially leaving *Saturday Night Live* following a five-season run on the iconic NBC sketch series, according to reports. Herlihy first arrived at Studio 8H back in 2021 as part of the wildly popular comedy troupe Please Don't Destroy. Alongside his longtime creative partners John Higgins and Ben Marshall, Herlihy rapidly transformed into an essential voice for the late-night comedy franchise.

During his five-season tenure on the series, Herlihy worked extensively behind the scenes while simultaneously building a major on-camera presence. The trio earned widespread acclaim for writing and starring in pre-recorded digital shorts, taking over the mantle of short-form comedic chaos on NBC. Their high-energy skits routinely placed celebrity guest hosts in increasingly unhinged, surreal situations, turning the group into fan favorites almost overnight. Before landing their breakthrough positions at Studio 8H, Herlihy, Higgins, and Marshall developed a massive following on social media during the early pandemic era. Their rapid-fire dialogue and sharp timing quickly caught the attention of show executives, leading directly to their hiring as staff writers in 2021.

Throughout his time with the show, Herlihy helped generate some of the most shared television comedy clips of the decade. His contributions helped bridge the gap between traditional broadcast television and modern digital virality, cementing Please Don't Destroy as a core pillar of the current comedy landscape. While Herlihy has not publicly detailed his exact plans for future creative projects, his exit marks a significant shift for the late-night institution. Staff changes are a longstanding tradition for the series, but losing a primary architect of its most successful pre-taped bits leaves a major spot to fill in the writers' room. Updates regarding potential cast or writing team replacements for the upcoming season have not been formally confirmed. Herlihy leaves behind a solid track record of surreal sketches and memorable television moments that defined recent eras of the long-running show.