Saturday Night Live UK Showrunner Shares Their Vision: Why Laughter Matters Now More Than Ever
The lead producer of Saturday Night Live UK expressed hope that the new Sky series will provide much-needed joy during these challenging times.
In an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today show on Tuesday, James Longman, the former executive producer of The Late Late Show with James Corden, emphasized the show’s potential to create something “really special.” He acknowledged the challenge of adapting the iconic NBC program, which has garnered a significant legacy over the years.
“It’s a perfect time for this kind of show. The world is rough out there at the moment, so it’s a really good time to laugh,” Longman stated. He noted that satire would play a role in the series, saying, “There are so many things to be funny about, and so it’s just finding the right angle for us. The key for us is to be funny.”
The premiere is scheduled for Saturday at 10 PM local time, with SNL alum Tina Fey hosting the inaugural episode. The cast includes notable talents such as Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young.
Bamgboye described the dynamic within the cast and writing team as “alchemy at its finest.” She elaborated, “In these writers’ rooms, you are in the room with sort of 30-odd comedic geniuses, all different voices, all different shticks, all different backgrounds, and we’re just throwing stuff at the wall.”
The second episode will feature Jamie Dornan as host on March 28, followed by Riz Ahmed on April 2. SNL UK will air on Sky One in the UK, with episodes available on Peacock in the U.S. the following day.
Sky has commissioned six episodes of SNL UK, which will adopt a format similar to its American counterpart. Creator Lorne Michaels has been in the UK recently, contributing to the writers’ room.
Production will be handled by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK team and Michaels’ Broadway Video. Longman will serve as lead producer, with Liz Clare as director and Daran Jonno Johnson as the head writer.
The show was commissioned by Edgar-Jones, Sky Commissioning Executive Lisa Clark, and Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer for Sky. Helen Kruger Bratt oversees Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK Productions, with Shanna Baynard serving as Executive in Charge of Production and Andy Charles Smith as Lead Producer for UTAS UK Productions, alongside Sam Salter as Production Executive.
