Perhaps you’re a longstanding fan of Saturday Night Live, the US comedy sketch show that has enjoyed an impressive fifty year run in the US. Or, perhaps you’ve seen clips of the iconic celebrity hosts and memorable musical performances on social media. Or, maybe you’ve only seen the viral controversies. Either way, whether you’ve seen a full episode or not, it’s very likely that you’re at least familiar with the concept: a bunch of comedians poke fun at the headlines in a buzzy late night knees-up, complete with a live audience.
Now, SNL is getting its very own British makeover. The show is branching out into UK waters for the first time, with the highly-anticipated SNL UK. Airing this weekend, on Saturday 21st March, it features Tina Fey as the first celebrity host and – judging by the teaser – they’re set to run at the debut with full force, considering that the trailer references everything from the royals, to British cuisine, to the Epstein files.
Want to know more about what to expect from SNL UK? Here’s everything we know – from the cast list, to the release date, and how to watch it.
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What is Saturday Night Live?
The popular US show Saturday Night Live, or SNL, has been on air for fifty years. It debuted in 1975, and creator Lorne Michaels continues to work on the comedy sketch show – and, he’ll be acting as executive producer on the new UK iteration.
Every week, writers and comedians work on several sketches, comedy segments and satirical weekly news items reflective of timely stories spanning politics to pop culture. The show is then performed to a live audience on, you guessed it, Saturday, with a celebrity host and a special musical performance.
So far, we know that week one will include Tina Fey as the first celeb host with a musical performance from Wet Leg. The following week, Jamie Dornan will lead with Wolf Alice as the musical guest. The third week will see Riz Ahmed hosting, with Kasabian as the live performers.
The first teaser trailer for SNL UK
This week, the first full-length teaser trailer dropped for SNL UK ahead of the show’s debut episode. Days before it’s air date, fans were giving a two minute clip which stars Tina Fey as Mary Poppins, and also sees the UK cast preparing for the launch.
Here’s the full cast list for SNL UK
The SNL UK cast was revealed in February this year, and includes a mix of panel show favourites, Taskmaster contestants and familiar TV comedians. The full cast list comprises of 11 comedians who will appear in the weekly episodes, and you’ll find them all below:
- Emma Sidi
- Ania Magliano
- Larry Dean
- Ayoade Bamgboye
- Paddy Young.
- Celeste Dring
- Annabel Marlow
- George Fouracres
- Hammed Animashaun
- Al Nash
- Jack Shep
What is the format for SNL UK?
According to what we know so far, it appears that SNL UK will follow the same formula as its US counterpart. Each week, the show will be hosted by a celebrity guest and will also include a live musical performance. A press release for SNL UK stated that while the format will be familiar, the show will be ‘re-imagined through a distinctly British lens’.
James Longman, Lead Producer, said: “The UK is absolutely packed with incredible comedy talent right now and this cast represents the freshest voices we have, they’re bold, exciting and of course, incredibly funny. The chemistry between them is something special and we can’t wait to share this funny group of people with the world.”
Where can I watch SNL UK?
SNL UK will air on Sky One and via the streaming service NOW, and episodes will be 75 minutes long. If you’re travelling abroad this weekend and can’t access your usual Sky or NOW account due to regional restrictions, try NordVPN (70% off). It removes streaming restrictions and protects you when shopping online. Better still, it’s on sale right now.
What is the SNL UK release date?
SNL UK will launch with its debut episode on Saturday 21st March 2025, at 10pm GMT. It will be available to stream on Peacock in the US.