Bowen Yang breaks silence on Heidi Gardner’s ‘SNL’ exit

Bowen Yang is addressing Heidi Gardner’s surprising exit from “Saturday Night Live.”

The comedian broke his silence on Gardner’s sudden departure during an episode of his “Las Culturistas” podcast released Wednesday, Sept. 10.

“You are one of the greats,” Yang, 34, said of his former “SNL” co-star. “You will go down in history.”

The “Wicked” actor, who joined the popular sketch comedy series in 2019 during its 45th season, went on to remember some of his favorite moments with Gardner from the show, noting she always wrote the best sketches without anyone else’s help.

“It’s always a very, very vulnerable thing as a cast member to put only your name on it,” Yang explained. “But anytime you saw just ‘Gardner,’ you knew you were in good hands. She would take it upon herself to write pieces for other cast.”

One sketch in particular, Yang noted, was for Punkie Johnson before she left “SNL” in 2024.

“It was one of the most beautiful, kindest gestures I’ve ever seen at that show, and her heart was so big, and clearly so f‑‑king funny,” he said of Gardner and the “Weekend Update” segment she penned for Johnson. “A true anchor on that show.”

The “Fire Island” star also recalled how Gardner, 42, helped the “SNL” cast and crew when the Covid-19 pandemic upended Seasons 45 and 46.

“[She was] one of the first people who was just like, ‘Okay, just to get through this, let’s just each wake up, no rush, there’s no time limit – let’s just each text each other every day, something that made us smile today,’” he shared.

“And that was this foothold that I had emotionally in terms of knowing we were just sharing music,” Yang added before calling Gardner a “truly beautiful person.”

Elsewhere during the podcast episode, the “Wedding Banquet” actor broke his silence on the other three “SNL” stars who, like Gardner, will not be returning to Studio 8H when Season 51 kicks off on Oct. 4.

Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow had announced their exits shortly before The Post confirmed Gardner’s departure last month.

“Shout out Devon, Emil, Michael Longfellow,” Yang said. “They were fantastic comedians going in. They are fantastic comedians coming out. Those are some A+ gems.”

Yang then confirmed that he will be returning to 30 Rockefeller Plaza when the new season premieres next month.

“I am thrilled to go back,” he shared. “I will miss the people who are not coming back very, very much.”

The comedian is the first “SNL” cast member to address the exodus that occurred shortly after creator Lorne Michaels teased a cast shakeup ahead of Season 51.

Walker, 34, was the first to announce his exit after three seasons on the show.

“Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool,” he shared on Instagram. “Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But we made the most of what it was, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f–ked up lil family.”

Wakim and Longfellow soon followed suit.

“It was the most terrifying, thrilling and rewarding experience of my life, and I will miss it dearly and all the brilliant people that work there that made it feel like a home,” Wakim, 27, announced in a post of his own.

“Will not be returning for a 4th season at SNL,” Longfellow, 31, added. “Wish I was but, so it goes. It was the best three years of my life so far.”

As for Gardner, The Post confirmed her exit after eight seasons.

Although she has not addressed her departure, an insider claimed her contract with “SNL” was not renewed.

“It’s time for a new cast,” the source shared.

Five new featured players will be joining “SNL” for Season 51, including Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Please Don’t Destroy’s Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska.

Besides Yang, The Post has confirmed that Ego Nwodim, Chloe Fineman, Kenan Thompson, Colin Jost and Michael Che are all coming back.

Other stars set to return include Mikey Day, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernández, Andrew Dismukes and James Austin Johnson, as well as Season 50 newcomers Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline.