Live from new yo- Wait a minute. I mean: Live from London, it’s Saturday night!
From next year, 2026, the British entertainment giant Sky will bring the beloved American current comedy show, SNL (Saturday Night Live) to the audience in the VK and Ireland.
If you are not familiar with it, Saturday Night Live will contain a mix of sketches, musical versions and famous guests. Each series has a core cast and every episode is organized by a different celebrity hashost that opens the show with a monologue and functions in sketches.
In the US, SNL has launched some of the biggest comedy career – think that Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Mike Myers, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Adam Sandler, Kate McKinnon, Jimmy Fallon … I could continue. It even released a sitcom, 30 rock, based on the format.
You have undoubtedly seen SNL clips that are circulating on the internet – the good, the bad and the ugly.
This news left me mixed reactions and there are three things I want to know.
We already know part of this answer, such as Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer, Sky, confirmed: “The show has discovered and fed countless comedy and musical talents over the years and we are very happy to work together with Lorne and the SNL team.”
That quote confirms that the cast will be British, but will they be new faces? The magic of SNL often brings new talent to the table, not just existing names. We don’t have a equivalent show in the UK – the nearest springboard for new talent would be panel shows like I would lie to you? And mock the week.
The UK is full of emerging comedian talent – many make their debut at festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe, while others regularly perform at one of the many comedy and improvement schools that are littered throughout the country – some of the greatest are Hoopla and the free association.
I keep my fingers crossed that the British SNL cast does not consist of well -known names. Although, yes, established comedians will perform well as hosts or as one or two familiar faces in the cast, it is a good opportunity to give some newcomers a chance. It would also help a British SNL to create a separate identity that is independent of all current British quiz and comedy shows in which the same faces appear again and again.
Where will SNL UK be located?
This may sound like a boring question on the surface, but it is not when you consider how iconic and powerful the set and history of SNL US is.
Studio 8H The Rockefeller Center is part of the identity of the show. It has produced tours for tourists in search of a glimpse of where the action takes place. The location in Central New York plays a major role in this.
So what is the alternative to the UK? The press release confirmed that the show will be filmed in London.
Elstree is certainly an option, in which many studios are owned by Sky and also home to many other live shows, including Strictly Come Dancing, The Chase, The Voice UK and even scripted shows such as Gangs of London.
Elstree, however, is not that technical London. It is 20 minutes away in the train, for sure, but it is in Hertfordshire.
BBC/Ray Burmiston
Another option could be Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, the new house of Have I Got News for You. This is a good theater (I can confirm that, I have been several times), so would be suitable for musical versions and short scenes.
I hope that SNL UK finds a house that is just as iconic as the Rockefeller – if it wants to cement himself as a new TV, it is something that should not be overlooked.
… will SNL UK be good?
The editors on my site certainly greeted the news of a British SNL with mixed reactions.
Why? Well, it is no secret that the quality of SNL has been varied over the years since it started in 1975. You can see how it is considered fluctuated in the graph below – seasons 26 to 29 were very rough:
Saturday Night Live / Reddit
It is clearly not an easy show to put together. Most sketches are written that week, where the hosts and artists only get a few options for practicing the sketches – or not at all. I certainly looked at a few versions from behind my fingers while I shrink.
The post also points out that the series has seen a decrease in viewers and struggles, especially to involve a younger audience. But it is certainly not all bad – I like to look at the weekend updates with main writers Colin Jost and Michael Che, whose jokes do not bump.
So, will SNL UK have the same pitfalls? It has the advantage that it is completely fresh, and it is produced by SNL’s maker Lorne Michaels, who can bring years of expertise to the table. But it will not have the goodwill and the legendary status of the public that have been granted in American culture by SNL’s influential history and iconic names.
In the end we will not know the answer until SNL UK Sky Max and now touches in 2026.
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