Behind the Scenes of “Well Underway” on Saturday Night Live UK
Sky is advancing its casting efforts for the upcoming UK version of Saturday Night Live, as confirmed by executive producer Edgar-Jones. “Casting at the moment is well underway,” he stated. “We’re looking at writers and have had a great response from the comedy community. This is an opportunity for us to nurture that next generation of comic talent.”
According to a briefing document from Sky earlier this year, candidates selected for the show will be tasked with casting each sketch alongside potential guest hosts. Successful candidates will need to be available from mid-January to early April, ahead of the show’s planned launch later in the year.
When pressed for further information on SNL, Edgar-Jones maintained a cautious stance. “I get phone calls all the time from people telling me, ‘Don’t say anything’,” he noted, humorously admitting that keeping quiet has been a challenge given his nickname at Sky is “leaky Phil.”
Last month, SNL UK revealed its creative team, which includes Daran Jonno Johnson, known for writing the Disney+ series Wedding Season, as head writer. Liz Clare, an experienced live TV director who has worked on events like the BAFTA Film Awards, will take on the role of series director. They join James Longman, executive producer of The Late Late Show with James Corden.
Edgar-Jones has a broad range of responsibilities, but he clarified one area he will avoid: the guessing game genre popularized by The Traitors. “There’s a danger at the moment that everyone is looking at big strategy, Traitors-y formats,” he remarked. “I think we have to be careful in the market by going after stuff that’s already best in class.”
In a separate development, Sky is seeking to shift the tone of its drama offerings. Meghan Lyvers, executive director of scripted content, emphasized a desire for drama series that lean towards “more soap or fun.” “They can feel really messy,” she explained. “They don’t have to feel like guilty pleasures, just pleasures. We do big heavy dramatic pieces well but would like to diversify our offering in terms of tone.”
As Sky’s long-running comedy Brassic comes to an end, Lyvers indicated that her team is actively searching for a new show that captures a similar vibe. “It’s a tall order but something we’ve been speaking about with producers more and more over the last few months,” she remarked.
Lyvers also mentioned that Sky aims to increase its output of limited series, like the upcoming Amadeus starring Will Sharpe, and to create more tentpole projects similar to its successful adaptation of The Day of the Jackal, which is set to enter its second season.
