Why Andy Samberg Quietly Left Saturday Night Live After 7 Seasons: 'I Can't Endure It Anymore'

Andy Samberg is looking back on his departure from Saturday Night Live in 2012.

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum, 45, said it was “a big choice” to leave the NBC late night show during an interview on Peacock’s Hart to Heart.

“For me, it was like, I can't actually endure it anymore. But I didn't want to leave," he told host Kevin Hart. "Physically and emotionally, like I was falling apart in my life."

The comedian also reflected on the impact of Saturday Night Live’s taxing schedule after starring on the show for seven seasons from 2005 to 2012.

“Physically, it was taking a heavy toll on me and I got to a place where I was like I hadn’t slept in seven years basically,” he explained. 

“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, all 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 added. “So I just kinda fell apart physically.”

Samberg shared that he likened being SNL “to being a professional athlete because it’s this high pressure thing,” explaining, “Your adrenaline goes through the roof. You know, there’s parallels. You have to perform under pressure in front of people…”

Despite the challenges of the show, Samberg knew what the potential pitfalls of leaving the show were after having conversations with SNL alums including Amy Poehler.

"I had talked to Poehler and other people that had already gone. I was like, once I go, when I have an idea, I can't just do it," he explained. "The craziest thing about working there is once you get going, if you're just in the shower and you have an idea that s--- can be on television in three days, which is the most intoxicating feeling."

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Samberg shared that his decision was made more difficult when SNL producers told him that they wanted him to continue on the show, saying, "They told me straight up, 'We prefer you would stay,' and I was like, oh, that makes it harder," he said. "But I just was like, I think to get back to a feeling of like mental and physical health, I have to do it. So I did it and it was a very difficult choice.”

Samberg later starred on Brooklyn Nine-Nine for eight seasons and also came back to SNL for several appearances including hosting in 2014.