Saturday Night Live UK has received an early vote of confidence ahead of its March 21 series premiere—in the form of a beefed-up episode count.
Shortly after the first-ever English-language international offshoot of NBC’s SNL was announced in April 2025, it was handed an initial order of just six episodes. But on early Friday, Sky/producers Universal Television Alternative Studio and Broadway Video announced that the freshman run has been expanded, to eight episodes.
SNL UK’s lead producer, James Longman, hinted at just such a supersizing when LateNighter’s Bill Carter recently spoke with him, saying the door was being left open for the greenlighting of additional episodes.
NBC’s SNL typically churns out 20-21 episodes each season; its 51st season resumes April 4 with Episode 16, hosted by Jack Black with musical guest Jack White.
The cast for SNL UK includes Hammed Animashaun (The Wheel of Time), Ayoade Bamgboye (Best Newcomer at the 2025 Edinburgh Comedy Awards), Scottish comedian Larry Dean (Mock the Week), Celeste Dring (The Windsors), George Fouracres (The Franchise), Ania Magliano (Taskmaster), Annabel Marlow (Six the Musical at Edinburgh Fringe), Al Nash (Michael McIntyre’s Big Show), Jack Shep (Big Boys), Emma Sidi (Starstruck), and Paddy Young (Everyone Else Burns).
Each episode will be staged in front of a live audience, at BBC Studios’ storied TC1 studio, and feature an opening monologue, topical sketches, live music, and a UK take on “Weekend Update” (co-anchored by Young and Magliano).
SNL vet Tina Fey will host the offshoot’s March 21 series premiere (watch promo), with musical guest Wet Leg. They will be followed by Northern Irish actor Jamie Dornan with musical guest Wolf Alice (on March 28), and British actor Riz Ahmed with “titans of rock” Kasabian (on April 4).
The show has yet to announce air dates (or hosts/musical guests) for the season’s remaining five episodes.
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It’s expanded to 8 episodes! WOW! 8 whole episodes.
What a how of confidence.
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