Andy Samberg reveals shocking reason why he left Saturday Night Live

Andy Samberg had one of the more unorthodox paths to stardom on Saturday Night Live. He joined as part of the Lonely Island, a comedy trio that contributed parody songs known as "digital shorts." It wasn't until a few years into the Lonely Island's run that Samberg was offered a role as a full time cast member.

Samberg was a cast member from 2005 to 2012, but the circumstances under which he decided to leave the show remained unclear. Many assumed that the actor merely wanted to pursue stardom elsewhere, which he managed to do with the comedy show Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Andy Samberg claimed he could no longer handle the workload

The actor opened up about the true reason for his departure, however, during a recent appearance on the interview show Hart to Heart. Samberg claimed he didn't want to leave the show, but forced himself to, as it was taking over his life. "Physically and emotionally, like I was falling apart in my life," he explained.

Samberg's passion for the work made it difficult to maintain a personal life during his time on the show, and when it came to time to renew his contract, the comedian decided that he would be better off hitting the reset button somewhere else:

"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."

Samberg remains proud of his work on SNL

What made Samberg's decision even more difficult was the fact that Saturday Night Live wanted him to stay on. He told Hart that the higher-ups, including creator Lorne Michaels said they'd "prefer" if he stayed for a couple more seasons, but the comedian ultimately decided to go with his gut.

Despite the strained process of being on the show, and the guilt he felt leaving, Samberg looks back fondly on his SNL tenure. "It sounds very corny and rehearsed," he prefaced. "But I'm just always like I still can't believe I get to do comedy for a living. It's all I wanted to do. I got to be on SNL. It went way better than I expected."

Samberg has made several cameos since leaving the show, and he even hosted in 2014.