For the past 50 years, Saturday Night Live has been the premier sketch comedy show here in the United States, launching the careers of countless comedians, actors, writers, and pop culture icons. Over the years, there have been spinoffs, recreations, parodies, and more, and now we’re about to get another version of the landmark series with Saturday Night Live: UK.
Soon, we’ll have even more upcoming SNL hosts and musical guests to look out for, as well as a whole new cast for the show across the pond. And while those details are still being worked out, there’s already quite a lot we know about Saturday Night Live: UK at this point. Let’s dive into that now…
When Does Saturday Night Live UK Premiere?
Though the Saturday Night Live: UK premiere date has not yet been finalized, Variety has reported that the British edition of the popular comedy show will take to Sky at some point in 2026. That means, by the end of next year, British and Irish audiences (and those of us across the pond) will be able to see this new spin on the classic sketch program. Oh, what an adventure that’ll be.
James Longman Has Been Named The Showrunner
While Lorne Michaels has been the showrunner for most of Saturday Night Live’s 51-season run since creating the show back in 1975, the legendary TV producer and writer won’t be fully in charge of the British offshoot (he’s still going to be an executive producer, though). According to Deadline, James Longden has been hired to keep things running for SNL: UK once things go into operation. Longden previously served as the executive producer of The Late Show with James Corden.
There’s no word on who will be joining the writing team alongside Longman, but that information should become available in the coming weeks and months.
The SNL UK Cast Has Not Yet Been Announced
From cast members who made a huge impact in a short amount of time to others who stayed on the show for many, many seasons, Saturday Night Live has had its share of stars over the years. This is likely to be true when the British version launches in 2026, but none of those names have been announced.
When Sky announced the show back in April 2025, the network promised a “star-studded lineup of hosts) and a cast consisting of the “funniest British comedians around.” That said, this show should feature some heavy-hitters from across the pond once it goes live.
The Show Will Be True To Saturday Night Live, But With A British Twist
It sounds like Saturday Night Live: UK will look a whole lot like its American counterpart when it takes to the airwaves next year, but with a twist. When speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival (via Deadline) in August 2025, Sky executive director Phil Edgar-Jones revealed that the remake will be true to the American original but that it had to be “a very British thing” if it wants to be a hit with British audiences.
On top of that, Edgar-Jones said he wanted the show to have the “chaos” and “noise” that have made SNL such a popular show over the past 50 years.
Expect to hear much more about Saturday Night Live: UK in the coming weeks and months. And who knows, maybe John Oliver will change his tune and come on as a host one week.