Sky Expands ‘Saturday Night Live UK’ to Eight Episodes!

Saturday Night Live UK will now enjoy a longer run, extending to eight episodes.

Initially set for a six-episode stint on Sky in the UK, producers have decided to add two additional 75-minute episodes. The series kicks off tomorrow night (March 21) at 10 PM local time, and the excitement is palpable.

Tina Fey will grace the stage as the host for the first show, with musical entertainment provided by Wet Leg. The subsequent episodes will feature hosts Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed, accompanied by musical acts Wolf Alice and Kasabian.

Joining the premiere season of SNL UK are cast members Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young.

In the United States, Peacock, owned by Sky’s sister company Comcast, holds the streaming rights.

Earlier this week, Sky’s CEO Dana Strong assured that they were committed to “bringing one of the world’s most iconic shows and making it uniquely British,” thus significantly contributing to the UK’s comedy scene. James Longman, the lead producer, mentioned that they had taken inspiration from the “U.S. house” and were now “creating our own distinct spaces.”

It’s been a while since the UK has seen a sketch comedy show with the scale and ambition of SNL.

SNL UK is a product of Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK team and Broadway Video for Sky and NOW. SNL‘s creator Lorne Michaels is on board as an executive producer. James Longman is the Lead Producer, Liz Clare as Director, and Daran Jonno Johnson is the Head Writer.