A UK version of Saturday Night Live has been announced

Sky has confirmed it will bring a UK version of Saturday Night Live to television screens in 2026.

The new series, Saturday Night Live UK, will be broadcast on Sky Max and streaming service NOW, and will be produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK production team. The show’s creator, Lorne Michaels, will executive produce the London-based edition while continuing in his role on the long-running NBC original in the United States.

Following the same live, fast-paced format that has made the American version a staple of late-night television, the UK edition will feature a regular cast of British comedians, alongside a weekly roster of guest hosts and musical performances. Each episode will open with the familiar declaration, “Live from London, it’s Saturday Night!”

SNL first aired in 1975 and has launched the careers of numerous comedians including Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey and Will Ferrell. The show has won the most Emmy Awards in television history, been honoured with the George Foster Peabody Award four times and inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO 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!”

Further details, including the cast, hosts, musical guests and premiere date, are expected to be announced later this year.

Watch one of SNL’s recent musical offerings: