Saturday Night Live is saying goodbye to another familiar face. Martin Herlihy, one-third of the comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy, has left the show after five seasons. His exit comes just weeks before Season 52 premieres on September 26, 2026, and it leaves only Ben Marshall from the original group still standing at Studio 8H. The news was first reported by LateNighter on September 9, 2026, and later confirmed by multiple outlets including Variety, People, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Who Is Leaving and Why
Martin Herlihy, 27, joined SNL in 2021 at the start of Season 47 alongside his Please Don’t Destroy group members Ben Marshall and John Higgins. The trio became known for their pre-taped digital shorts, often playing exaggerated versions of themselves in bizarre situations. They quickly became fan favorites, collaborating with hosts and musical guests like Taylor Swift, Dakota Johnson, Bad Bunny, and Pete Davidson.
No official reason has been given for Herlihy’s departure. Sources close to the situation confirmed his exit to The Hollywood Reporter, but NBC declined to comment. Herlihy reportedly made the decision to leave on his own.
“Please and Don’t are gone, only Destroy is left behind,” one fan wrote on the Saturday Night Live subreddit.
Another fan added: “Wow, that’s actually extremely unexpected to me, seeing as they gave him his own shorts last season. I felt, if anything, he’d possibly get promoted.”
How Please Don’t Destroy Slowly Split Apart
The group’s time together on SNL ended in stages. After Season 50 wrapped in May 2025, the show made major changes. John Higgins left the series to focus on acting. Ben Marshall was promoted to the main cast as a featured player. Herlihy stayed on as a writer for Season 51 while also appearing in occasional pre-taped sketches, including his own series of shorts billed as “A Film by Martin Herlihy.”
Despite the on-screen split, the trio has said Please Don’t Destroy is not over. They continue to tour together and released a comedy special and tour documentary called Please Don’t Destroy LIVE in July 2025.
“It’s PDD forever, baby,” Higgins told a crowd at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon, in September 2025. Marshall backed him up with a simple, “What he said.”
The group also starred together in the 2023 Peacock film Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain, which featured Conan O’Brien, Bowen Yang, and Megan Stalter.
Martin Herlihy’s Growing Acting Career
Herlihy has been building an acting resume outside of SNL. His recent film credits include The Running Man opposite Glen Powell, Happy Gilmore 2 (co-written by his father, longtime Adam Sandler collaborator Tim Herlihy), Roommates, and The Breadwinners.
His father, Tim Herlihy, was a writer on SNL in the 1990s. John Higgins is also the son of longtime SNL producer Steve Higgins. Ben Marshall is the only member of Please Don’t Destroy without a family connection to the show.
Who Else Is Leaving SNL Before Season 52
Herlihy is the second major departure ahead of Season 52. Chloe Fineman announced in July 2026 that she was leaving after seven seasons. Bowen Yang also departed midway through Season 51.
Fineman shared the news on Instagram, writing: “After 7 wonderful seasons at SNL I have decided it’s time for my next chapter. It’s cliche to say this but working at SNL has been the greatest privilege of my life.”
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SNL Season 52 Premiere Details
Season 52 kicks off on September 26, 2026, on NBC and will stream on Peacock the next day. This marks the show’s earliest return in 14 years. Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks will make his hosting debut, with KATSEYE as the musical guest.
Other announced hosts include Dakota Johnson on October 3, Shane Gillis on October 10, and Inde Navarrette on October 31. Musical guests include Turnstile, Rosalía, and Gracie Abrams.
The returning main cast includes Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman, and Kenan Thompson. Featured players include Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Ashley Padilla, Kam Patterson, Veronika Slowikowska, and Jane Wickline.
Saturday Night Live airs on NBC at 11:30 PM ET / 10:30 PM CT on Saturdays. Episodes stream the following day on Peacock for viewers in the United States. International viewers can watch on local broadcasters or streaming platforms that carry SNL in their region.
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