Andy Samberg reveals he left SNL in 2012 to preserve his physical and emotional health

Andy Samberg appeared on the latest episode of Kevin Hart's Peacock interview series Hart to Heart on July 11. During the interview, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star opened up about exiting Saturday Night Live and the show's impact on his health.

Andy Samberg was the show's biggest star during his tenure from 2005 to 2012. Along with his comedy trio, The Lonely Island, including members Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, Samberg turned digital shorts into SNL's viral iconic videos such as "D*ck in a Box" and "Natalie Rap."

"It was a big choice. For me, it was like, I can't actually endure it anymore. But I didn't want to leave. Physically and emotionally, like I was falling apart in my life."

He also recalled how hectic his schedule was, saying that for seven years, he didn't get enough sleep for four days a week.

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"So I just kinda fell apart physically," says Andy Samberg

While recalling his time on Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2012, Andy Samberg mentioned he and The Lonely Island would write for the live show on Tuesday all night, table read on Wednesday, come up with writing for digital shorts on Thursday, shoot on Friday, edit on Friday night Saturday.

"So it's basically like four days a week you're not sleeping, for seven years. So I just kinda fell apart physically."

He also mentioned he was left alone to create the digital shorts for his final two years after his trio members Schaffer and Taccone left.

"I was basically left in charge of making the shorts, which I never pretended like I could do without them. We made stuff I'm really proud of in my last two years, but there's something about the songs that I can only do with Akiva and Jorm. It's just how it is, we're just a band in that way."

Andy Samberg also opened up about his consulting with other co-stars such as Amy Poehler and, or, the perks that SNL brought him. The fact that SNL could air his creative outburst of ideas on television in three days gave him an "intoxicating feeling."

However, the team didn't want him to leave, making it harder for Andy to leave. However, eventually, wanting to look after his mental and physical health helped him make the ultimate decision.

"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."

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A year after he left SNL, Andy Samberg went on to star in Brooklyn Nine-Nine for eight seasons and worked on other projects such as Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Hotel Transylvania, and others.

Andy's recent projects include creating, alongside Neil Campbell, the animated adventure series Digman!, which aired in 2023.