Saturday Night Live UK Welcomes Former Top Gear Executive as New Commissioning Executive
Lisa Clark, a former executive producer of Top Gear, has been appointed as the Commissioning Executive for the upcoming Saturday Night Live UK on Sky.
Clark will collaborate with the unscripted team, led by Phil Edgar-Jones, on this highly anticipated British adaptation of the iconic American sketch show.
Previously, Clark’s impressive portfolio included roles on notable programs such as the BAFTA TV Awards, Comic Relief, and Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. She was initially brought onto Top Gear by then-host Chris Evans to assist with a reinvention of the series, though her tenure there was brief.
The production team for SNL UK includes Lead Producer James Longman, Director Liz Clare, and Head Writer Daran Jonno Johnson. Edgar-Jones had stated late last year that the casting process for the show was “well underway.” According to a briefing document from Sky earlier this year, candidates are encouraged to cast sketches with potential guest hosts from SNL, with selected individuals expected to be available from mid-January to early April leading up to the show’s launch later this year.
Edgar-Jones expressed his enthusiasm about Clark’s appointment, stating, “The SNL UK team are made up of the very best producers, writers, and department heads in the industry, so I am thrilled to have landed a true TV legend in Lisa Clark as Sky’s commissioning executive. Lisa has an incredible track record working collaboratively with some of the finest comedy talent in the business and will be a huge asset to the production.”
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Clark described her excitement for the opportunity, saying, “This is an incredible team to be a part of. I have always loved the thrill of live television, and there is no greater stage for live comedy than SNL.”
SNL UK will be produced by the UK production team of Universal Television Alternative Studio and Broadway Video for Sky and NOW. The oversight of UTAS UK Productions falls under Managing Director Helen Kruger Bratt, with Shanna Baynard serving as Executive in Charge of Production. Andy Charles Smith and Sam Salter will handle producing duties for UTAS UK Productions. The show was commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, the Executive Director of Unscripted Originals, while Clark functions as Commissioning Executive for Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer for Sky.
