How to Watch Saturday Night Live UK in the UK: Sky One, NOW TV and Full Cast
Saturday Night Live UK launched on Sky One on Saturday 21 March 2026, marking the first British incarnation of the iconic American late-night comedy format in its 51-year history. Tina Fey hosted the inaugural 75-minute episode, broadcast live from London at 10pm, with indie rock duo Wet Leg serving as the first musical guests. The eight-episode first series is filmed at Television Centre in London, in studio TC1, with BBC Studioworks providing production facilities.
What Is Saturday Night Live UK?
Saturday Night Live UK is the first British adaptation of NBC’s iconic late-night series — now in its 51st season in the US — and follows the same format blueprint: weekly guest hosts, live musical acts, topical sketches, and a British take on the long-running news satire segment Weekend Update.
The show is a production of Broadway Video in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK production team, with Lorne Michaels executive producing. James Longman serves as lead producer, Liz Clare as director, and Daran “Jonno” Johnson as head writer.
Sky announced a two-episode extension of the series on 20 March 2026 — the day before the premiere — bringing the total episode order up to eight after originally commissioning six. That vote of confidence before a single episode had aired suggests Sky sees real long-term potential in the format — though whether British audiences embrace it remains the bigger question.
The Full SNL UK Cast for Series One
The 11-person inaugural cast includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma S, and Paddy Young.
Ania Magliano and Paddy Young were named as the Weekend Update anchors in the week before launch — the segment that has launched some of the biggest careers in American comedy, from Chevy Chase to Tina Fey herself.
The writing staff is a team of 20, including Jonno Johnson, Gráinne Maguire, Humphrey Ker, and Nathan Foad, among others. The combination of established stand-ups, theatre actors, and rising alt-comedy voices makes this one of the more interesting ensemble casts assembled for a British sketch show in years. Whether the chemistry translates to live television is now for audiences to judge.
Hosts and Musical Guests Confirmed for Series One
Tina Fey hosted the opening episode on 21 March, with Jamie Dornan hosting episode two on 28 March alongside musical guest Wolf Alice, and Riz Ahmed hosting episode three on 4 April with Kasabian as the musical act.
The host lineup is a deliberate blend of transatlantic appeal. Fey brings immediate SNL credibility — she is among the most celebrated alumni of the American version — whilst Dornan and Ahmed are globally recognised British and Irish talents who carry genuine commercial weight.
Deadline reported that the atmosphere surrounding the show ahead of launch was apprehensive, with some in the UK television industry sceptical that the format could justify Sky’s significant financial outlay — one source describing it as the “slowest car crash in TV history” before it aired. The first episode will now either validate or silence those concerns.
Where to Watch SNL UK in the UK
Saturday Night Live UK airs exclusively on Sky One and streaming service NOW in the UK, every Saturday at 10pm. It is not available on any other UK platform. Sky packages that include Netflix and discovery+ are also available for those looking to bundle their entertainment.
For viewers without a Sky subscription, NOW offers a streaming-only route to the show. NOW Entertainment memberships currently start from £9.99 per month [VERIFY current NOW pricing], making it one of the more affordable ways to catch the series without a full Sky contract.
The US edition of Saturday Night Live — currently in its 51st season — is also available to UK viewers on Sky Comedy and NOW, so existing subscribers already have access to both versions in one place.
How SNL UK Was Made: The Production
The cast and writers began workshopping in mid-February 2026, with cast members also taking part in a session with the American version’s legendary cue-card handler, Wally Feresten, in mid-March. That detail alone says a lot about how seriously the production has taken the live format — cue cards are central to SNL’s ability to deliver sharp, last-minute script changes mid-broadcast.
Cast members also visited the American SNL studios during production of its thousandth episode, giving the British team a rare look at how the original machine operates at scale. Lead producer James Longman described the cast as representing “the freshest voices” in British comedy right now, adding that their chemistry is “something special.”
The show uses a test audience to determine which sketches make the final cut — a process that mirrors the US version’s famous read-throughs and table cuts, and one that should, in theory, keep the quality bar high across all eight episodes.
FAQ
Q: Where can I watch Saturday Night Live UK in the UK?
A: Saturday Night Live UK airs live every Saturday at 10pm on Sky One. It is also available to stream on NOW, the Sky-owned streaming service. It is not available on any other UK platform, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, or Channel 4.
Q: Who is hosting Saturday Night Live UK in 2026?
A: The first three confirmed hosts are Tina Fey (episode one, 21 March), Jamie Dornan (episode two, 28 March), and Riz Ahmed (episode three, 4 April). Further hosts across the remaining five episodes have not yet been officially announced.
Q: How many episodes does Saturday Night Live UK Series 1 have?
A: Series one originally had a six-episode order, but Sky extended it to eight episodes on 20 March 2026 — the day before the premiere. Each episode is 75 minutes long and broadcast live from Television Centre in London.
Q: Who are the cast members of Saturday Night Live UK?
A: The 11-person regular cast is Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young. Ania Magliano and Paddy Young anchor the Weekend Update segment.
Q: Is Saturday Night Live UK the same as the American SNL?
A: It follows the same format — live broadcast, weekly guest host, musical act, sketches, and Weekend Update — but is written, rehearsed, and performed entirely in the UK by a British cast and writing team. Lorne Michaels, the creator of the original SNL, executive produces the UK version.
Q: Who produces Saturday Night Live UK?
A: The show is produced by Broadway Video, Lorne Michaels’ production company, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK team. It is a Sky Original commission, filmed at Television Centre in London. James Longman serves as lead producer.
Q: Does Saturday Night Live UK have a BriefLedger review yet?
A: Episode one aired on 21 March 2026. BriefLedger will publish a full review of the premiere episode shortly after, check the TV Shows section of BriefLedger.
References
Sky Group — https://www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/article/sky-extends-saturday-night-live-uk-run-to-eight-shows
Sky.com — https://www.sky.com/watch/saturday-night-live-uk
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_UK
NBCUniversal — https://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/live-london-its-saturday-night-live-uk-premiere-date-cast-and-more
Deadline — https://deadline.com/2026/03/saturday-night-live-uk-debut-episode-sky-tina-fey-1236762375/
Lewis Calvert Founder & Editor, BriefLedger
Lewis founded BriefLedger and has six years of experience covering film, TV, and entertainment news. He leads the site’s Movies and TV sections and runs the news desk — always with a straight-talking British take.
