A new British version of the popular American TV show Saturday Night Live is all set to premiere this weekend, showcasing a talented lineup of 11 comedians and celebrity hosts.
The cast includes actors such as Hammed Animashaun from Black Ops, Celeste Dring from The Windsors, and Ayoade Bamgboye, who won the 2025 Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer.
Joining them are Larry Dean, a former Scottish Comedian Of The Year, Jack Shep from Changing Ends, George Fouracres from Shakespeare’s Globe, and Emma Sidi, an ex-member of Cambridge Footlights.
Completing the ensemble are Ania Magliano from Taskmaster, Paddy Young from Everyone Else Burns, Annabel Marlow, a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe, and stand-up comedian Al Nash.
The show’s writers include Charlie Skelton from 8 Out of 10 Cats, Al Roberts from Stath Lets Flats, and Bella Hull from Have I Got News For You.
This UK adaptation of NBC’s late-night comedy show will be broadcast on Sky Original and aired live each week. The format will mirror the US edition, with a different guest host steering the show each Saturday, including Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, and Riz Ahmed.
The show will be live on Sky and available on the streaming service NOW. Fey will host the first episode, followed by Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed in subsequent episodes.
Produced, rehearsed, and performed in the week leading up to each episode, the show features an opening monologue, topical sketches, live music, and a British twist on the satirical news segment, the Weekend Update.
The six-episode series premieres soon, with the iconic line “Live from London, it’s Saturday Night” marking the start.
Animashaun expressed his excitement about being part of the show, emphasizing the privilege it brings. Magliano also shared her enthusiasm, highlighting the collaborative nature of the program and the opportunity to work with talented comedians.
Lead producer James Longman praised the cast’s fresh and funny voices, anticipating a great chemistry between them that will entertain audiences worldwide.
Phil Edgar Jones from Sky emphasized the importance of bringing laughter to audiences and the legacy of Saturday Night Live in nurturing outstanding comedy talent.
Notably, a previous British comedy and music program named Saturday Live, which aired in the 1980s on Channel 4, featured talents like Harry Enfield, Ben Elton, Julian Clary, and others, but had no official connection to Saturday Night Live.