Deadline has reported that Saturday Night Live UK is starting to take shape as the top members of the creative team have begun to be announced. Daran Jonno Johnson (Siblings, Parlement) has joined the series as head writer, with Liz Clare (Would I Lie To You, The Voice UK) stepping into the director’s chair. Late Late Show With James Corden producer James Longman (Jonas Brothers Family Roast, This Is Not A Ceremony) will take on the role of lead producer.

According to Deadline, Lorne Michaels (Cone Heads, 30 Rock) will retain a role for his namesake, but Longman will be running the show on a daily basis. Since The Late Late Show ended its run in 2023, Longman started a production by the Jolly Octopus. The company is backed by BBC Studios and co-founded by Ollie Brack (Generation Drag, The Question Jury).

Deadline has reported that Johnson is part of the sketch comedy trio Sheeps in addition to working as a composer. He has worked on various productions, including Rose D’Or winner​​ Parlement, Siblings, and Elliot From Earth.

Via Deadline, Clare is a prolific director in the UK’s world of live television, having worked on major broadcasts such as Britain’s Got Talent, An Audience with Adele, Glastonbury, the BRIT Awards, and the MTV Video Music Awards. 

Deadline Shayna Barnard (Show Me The Funny, The Constant Gardener) will be overseeing the ins and outs of making live television as the executive in charge of production. She has worked in the world of comedy specials with the likes of Kevin Hart and Michael McIntyre. 

Longman shared his excitement about the series and returning to the UK. “After several years in LA, it’s amazing to come back home to such a vibrant and exciting live comedy scene, Saturday Night Live has set the bar for live sketch comedy for half a century, and to help bring that legacy to London using our amazing on-screen and off-screen talent, along with a tremendous investment in UK production, is a massive honour.” via Deadline. 

According to Deadline, Universal Television Alternative Studio’s (UTAS) UK production team and Broadway Video for Sky and Now will produce the series. 

Deadline has reported that Sky executive director of unscripted originals, Edgar-Jones, stated, “It’s exciting, a little bit scary as well.” In addition to saying that he wanted the series to bring “chaos” and “noise”. 

Via Deadline, The UK version will be the latest in a series of high-profile international spin-offs of the iconic sketch comedy shows, following those in Italy, China, Germany, and South Korea.