On April 10 Lorne Michaels, the creator of “Saturday Night Live,” announced that a UK version of the American classic show would premiere in 2026. SNL just recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.
SNL’s Backstory
“Saturday Night Live” first premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, hosted by George Carlin. Since the show’s inception to now, it has always been filmed at the infamous Studio 8-H in Rockefeller Center, New York, New York.
SNL’s first cast included Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi and Gilda Radner. SNL’s all-star cast has even included greats like Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Eddie Murphy, Jimmy Fallon, Sean Hayes, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, Bill Hader and Seth Myers.
SNL quickly became known across the country for its ability to captivate a live audience, witty humor, progressiveness and pick up on current and recent trends — making it always up to date. It has also become synonymous with late night television and New York City.
Live from London, it’s Saturday Night!
When Michaels announced the British version of his hit TV series, he also shared that it will be released on the Sky Max streaming platform. SNL U.K. will be produced by Michaels and commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, the father of Daisy Edgar-Jones.
This will not be SNL’s first foreign venture. Short-lived versions of the show in other countries have been made in Italy (“Saturday Night Live from Milano,”) South Korea (“SNL Korea”) and Canada (“SNL Quebec.”)
Similar sketch comedy shows have been made in England, however, this will be the first version from the original franchise. Although little details have been made about the program, it has been announced that it will be filmed in London.
While the cast has yet to be announced, outlets have been speculating who the cast could feature. On social media, some users speculate that Jimmy Carr, Romesh Ranganathan, Aisling Bea and Rob Beckett should be in the cast, however this is all just speculation!
SNL’s 50th Season
With the show recently celebrating its 50th anniversary, it’s clear that there is no slowing down for Lorne Michaels or Studio 8-H! The current cast includes Chloe Fineman, Marcello Hernandez, Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson, Colin Jost, Michael Ché and Heidi Gardner.
Who knows, maybe the U.K. version will be as successful as its predecessor. It has helped launch the career of comedy greats around the world, while providing comic relief and spotlighting different current events.
Who do you think should make the SNL U.K. cast? Let VALLEY know on Instagram or X @VALLEYmag!
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