Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels will bring a British version of the long-running sketch comedy show to Sky.
The American pop culture institution, which celebrated 50 years of the NBC programme in February, is set to have a spin-off version with a cast of British comedians.
Cecile Frot-Coutaz, chief executive of Sky Studios and chief content officer at Sky, said: “For over 50 years Saturday Night Live has held a unique position in TV and in our collective culture, reflecting and creating the global conversation, all under the masterful comedic guidance of Lorne Michaels.
“The show has discovered and nurtured countless comedy and musical talents over the years and we are thrilled to be partnering with Lorne and the SNL team to bring an all-British version of the show to UK audiences next year – all live from London on Saturday night.”
In the US, the programme launched the careers of comedian-actors Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig, and has featured a swathe of celebrity and political guests including tech billionaire Elon Musk and Donald Trump when he was a presidential candidate.
The first season’s cast included The Blues Brothers stars Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as well as Community and Caddyshack actor Chevy Chase.
Michaels will executive produce Saturday Night Live (SNL) UK, while continuing in the same role for the US version.
SNL UK will be produced by Broadway Video, a company founded by Michaels that has made The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and 30 Rock, and Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK production team.
Get ready to hear “Live from London, it’s Saturday Night!” 🎙️
— Sky Group (@SkyGroup) April 10, 2025
Sky and @NBC are bringing the legendary late-night comedy showcase Saturday Night Live to the UK and Ireland in 2026! 🎉
Featuring iconic hosts, musical guests, and the funniest British comedians – catch it on…
More details on the show’s UK debut, including cast, hosts, musical guests and its premiere date, will be announced in the coming months.
The beginnings of SNL, which started in 1975, was recently made into the 2024 film Saturday Night featuring Spider-Man star Willem Dafoe, and Succession actor Nicholas Braun.
There were attempts previously to make international versions of the programme, with a French version Le Saturday Night Live running for one season in 2017.
Saturday Night Live UK comes to Sky Max and streaming service NOW in 2026.
