Saturday Night Live comes to UK for first time as British spin-off announced

Sky has unveiled plans for a British version of the American comedy stalwart, Saturday Night Live.

For over four decades, the weekly comedy-variety program has been airing on television, starting way back in 1975. Lately, it celebrated its golden jubilee by producing a unique episode and a movie that reenacted its very first broadcast (known as Saturday Night).

Renowned for nurturing up-and-coming talents, the ranks of former Saturday Night Live (SNL) members boast stars like Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig from Bridesmaids, Jason Sudeikis of Ted Lasso, Kate McKinnon who played Barbie, as well as Tina Fey from 30 Rock and Amy Poehler of Parks and Recreation.

More currently, a significant number of the series’ sketches have become globally popular through platforms like YouTube and social media. These parodies of politics and pop culture frequently spread rapidly across the internet.

The UK version guarantees to preserve the identical energetic, swift-moving format, featuring a stellar cast of hosts and musicians, along with witty skits created by some of the most hilarious British comedy minds.

Lorne Michaels, the brains behind Saturday Night Live, is set to oversee the British version of the show, and casting decisions are expected soon before its debut next year.

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, head of Sky Studios and content chief at Sky, expressed: “For more than half a century, Saturday Night Live has occupied a distinctive place on TV and in our shared culture, mirroring and initiating worldwide discussions while being expertly steered by the comic genius of Lorne Michaels.

For many years, our program has been a launchpad for numerous comedy and musical talents. We’re excited about joining forces with Lorne and the SNL team to present a British edition of this show to viewers in the UK starting next year, right here in London, every Saturday night live!

This project represents a daring initiative, aiming to outperform past efforts at mirroring U.S. prime-time TV patterns, particularly noticeable with ITV’s Nightly Show in 2017. Unfortunately, that attempt to emulate the American late-night style didn’t prove successful.

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2025-04-10 14:10