Saturday Night Live is to have a British version and boy, do people have a lot of thoughts about it
Sky announced Thursday morning that a British version of Saturday Night Live is to launch in 2026. It will be made in London with an all-British cast, and will be executive produced by Lorne Michaels.
| Saturday Night Live is coming to the UK!
Coming in 2026 to Sky, SNL UK will follow the US format of rotating (British!) Celebrity hosts and Musical Guests each week, all live from London! pic.twitter.com/zXrGGwJcof
— sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴛᴠ (@superTV247) April 10, 2025
Needless to say, some people have been taking the mic.
Ross Kemp ripping up a picture of the Archbishop of Canterbury
— Stuart Millard (@franticplanet.bsky.social) 2025-04-10T08:11:20.483Z
oh no, there's 150% tariffs on American comedy exports, oh noooo, I'm so sad this can't happen
This will be a total abomination unless I’m in it.
-my audition tape https://t.co/HT0cAXRVQV— Nathan Lang (@nathanllang) April 10, 2025
This isn’t the first time that a show attempting the rehash the success of Saturday Night Live in the UK. There was Saturday Live on Channel 4 back in the 80s, which helped boost the careers of Harry Enfield, Ben Elton, Stephen Fry and Tracey Ullman.
Channel 4 also attempted a Daily Show-ish style programme called 10 O’Clock Live, also on Channel 4, starring the likes of David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker.
Still, the fact that these shows have not lasted anywhere near as long as Saturday Night Live has in the US has made some people pretty cynical about whether such a long-running format will be able to be replicated over here.
Week 1 host: Romesh Ranganathan
Week 2 host: Rob Beckett
Week 3 host: Rob and Romesh
Week 4 host: Russell Howard (with cameos from Rob and Romesh)
Week 5 host: David Walliams and Matt Lucas scheduled but Walliams gets mega cancelled so Rob and Romesh fill in https://t.co/Y8zR5daddF— ladies night adonis (@JackBaker1311) April 10, 2025
Oh god, this is how they’ll soft launch fucking Corden back here innit
— Dave (@davebaff) April 10, 2025
British Saturday Night Live: pic.twitter.com/LMQWRvniMF
— Luke⚪️⚪️ (@Luke3045) April 10, 2025
What’s with this sudden rush of forty year old American formats? No one wants this, jeopardy or wheel of fortune https://t.co/N8TutiVO0F
— J (@jemiggb) April 10, 2025
Your irregular reminder that Saturday Night Live is just Noel’s House Party with more money and less Neil Morrissey. https://t.co/NxuvKMBbwc
— Flum (@flumcake) April 10, 2025
This is what happens when you defund the arts
— RABBIDTHENABBIT (@TheRabbidNabbit) April 10, 2025
"This is a great sketch you've written here – can you just add two or three minutes on the end to ensure it really outstays its welcome?"
And they’ll ruin it just like they did with previous similar attempts by having known stars on it, rather than hungry and inexperienced newcomers.
— Peter Steele (@PC_Steele) April 10, 2025
— Angus Main (@angusmain.bsky.social) 2025-04-10T08:06:05.639Z
I'm more uplifted at the thought of watching the new Threads
What’s with this sudden rush of forty year old American formats? No one wants this, jeopardy or wheel of fortune https://t.co/N8TutiVO0F
— J (@jemiggb) April 10, 2025
People seem absolutely oblivious to the fact that something like Saturday Night Live only has cultural cache because in 1975 saying “the President fell over today, the FBI have denied responsibility” on mainstream TV was jawdroppingly, outrageously iconoclastic. https://t.co/WY6Zq7MY2Z
— Samplo Corvodina (@TreborRhurbarb) April 10, 2025
vibe: https://t.co/EVRBKjPWho pic.twitter.com/lQohvJ1AvN
— Aidan James (@mcandidate) April 10, 2025
There’s also a bit of scepticism by the fact that the show will launch on Sky, rather than on a main public service broadcaster channel like the BBC.
I think one of the things that makes SNL so huge in the US is the ‘shared viewing’ experience of all watching together live on mainstream TV. Something rare these days. Not sure how that feeling can be recreated on a subscription channel
— Steve Parks (@steveparks.bsky.social) 2025-04-10T09:30:25.263Z
Saturday Night Live will launch on Sky and NOW in 2026.
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