Andy Samberg revealed he had to leave “Saturday Night Live” after seven seasons because he had to prioritize his health.
His shocking departure from the show stunned fans and he explained the decision to leave was a difficult but necessary one while speaking on an episode of Kevin Hart’s “Hart to Heart” released Thursday.
“It was a big choice. For me, it was like, I can’t actually endure it anymore, but I didn’t want to leave,” Samberg told Hart, according to Entertainment Weekly. “Physically and emotionally, like I was falling apart in my life.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 31: Actor Andy Samberg arrives at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on January 31, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage) Getty Images
Samberg admitted he was pushing through long hours, but really reached his breaking point when Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone reached the end of their five-year contracts and left the NBC series. Their absence made the comedian realize he wasn’t able to handle the pressure of writing “Dick in a Box” and “I’m on a Boat” on his own, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“I was basically left in charge of making the shorts, which I never pretended like I could do without them,” Samberg told Hart.
Scaffer and Taccone were his childhood friends and he simply wasn’t able to generate the same chemistry with other writers that stepped in.
“We made stuff I’m really proud of in those last two years, but there’s something about the songs that I can only do with Akiva and Jorm,” he said.
Samberg said the grueling schedule required for his role on “Saturday Night Live” took a big toll on him because he “hadn’t slept in seven years basically.”
CULVER CITY, CA – JUNE 07: Actor Andy Samberg attends Spike TV’s “Guys Choice 2014” at Sony Pictures Studios on June 7, 2014 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Mark Davis/WireImage for Spike TV)
CULVER CITY, CA – JUNE 07: (L-R) Actors Oscar Isaac, Andy Samberg; Olivia Munn and Rob Riggle attend Spike TV’s “Guys Choice 2014” at Sony Pictures Studios on June 7, 2014 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spike TV)
He broke down the requirements for the role.
“We were writing stuff for the live show Tuesday night, all night, the table read Wednesday, then being told, ‘now come up with a digital short,’ so write all Thursday, Thursday night, don’t sleep, get up, shoot Friday, edit all night Friday night and into Saturday. So it’s basically like four days a week you’re not sleeping, for seven years,” he told Hart.
PARK CITY, UTAH – JANUARY 25: Andy Samberg of ‘Palm Springs’ attends the IMDb Studio at Acura Festival Village on location at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival – Day 2 on January 25, 2020 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)
“So I just kinda fell apart physically.” (RELATED: Jeff Bridges Describes What It Was Like To Return To Work After Near-Death Experience)
After leaving “Saturday Night Live” following the season 37 finale in 2012, Samberg found success starring on the hit sitcom “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” He never officially returned again but being on the show fulfilled a childhood dream he had since the age of 8.
“It’s all I wanted to do. I got to be on ‘SNL.’ It went way better than I expected,” he said.
