SNL replaces fired cast members with 5 unexpected newcomers for season 51

After a dramatic couple weeks for Saturday Night Live, things seem to finally be looking up for the long-running NBC sketch comedy series. One after another, fan-favorite cast members were revealed to not be returning for SNL season 51, and for the first time since the unfortunate exodus, the series has now announced an quintet of exciting newcomers.

SNL writer Celeste Yim was the first departure announced before the abrupt departures of Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, and veteran cast member Heidi Gardner. The cast being down four members that fans loved was quite the gut punch, but even with the cast seemingly dropping like flies, there was always the possibility of those positions being backfilled.

SNL adds 5 new cast members following shocking exits

According to Deadline and an official announcement via the SNL social media channels, season 51 will welcome Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska to the cast. Some of these names will be familiar to comedy fans, particularly Ben Marshall, who's in the troupe Please Don't Destroy alongside John Higgins and Martin Herlihy.

Please Don't Destroy were first hired as writers for Saturday Night Live in 2021 and have created a number of viral video shorts for the series since then. Variety reports that Herlihy will remain with the series as a writer and Higgins will be leaving the series, seemingly leaving the future of the troupe and its place at the sketch series currently unknown.

In addition to Marshall's promotion, the rest of the newcomers are rising stars in comedy. Tommy Brennan performed at Just For Laughs and The Tonight Show, while Jeremy Culhane performed with the Upright Citizens Brigade like plenty of past SNL alums. Kam Patterson's become known for his stand-up and Kill Tony podcast appearances, and Veronika Slowikowska has created multiple viral videos on TikTok ang guest starred in Tires season 2 on Netflix.

Going into season 51, the cast is larger than that of season 50, including the exits and the new additions. It's unclear whether any other past cast members will be leaving the show or if the cuts have officially ended. But it's definitely a bittersweet time for fans of the series who lost performers they loved and now have new talent coming in to take their place.

That's always been how it is with Saturday Night Live. Cast members come and go. There have even been mass exits like this in the past. But it's never easy to say goodbye to cast members, especially when they barely had the chance to leave their mark or a lasting legacy. We'll have to wait and see what's next for the series after all of these changes, but we can always count on laughs.

Saturday Night Live season 51 premieres Oct. 4 on NBC and streams on Peacock.