Saturday Night Live UK Cast Unveiled with Impressive Royal and Celebrity Connections
The highly anticipated UK version of Saturday Night Live has officially confirmed its complete cast lineup, revealing an impressive array of comedic talent with fascinating connections to royalty and major entertainment figures. This groundbreaking Sky television series, set to broadcast live from London starting next month, promises to bring the iconic American comedy format to British audiences with a distinctly local flavour.
Star-Studded Ensemble Features Award-Winning Comedians
The inaugural cast represents some of the brightest talents currently working in British comedy. Among the confirmed performers are Hammed Animashaun, known for his role in Black Ops, alongside actress Celeste Dring and Ayoade Bamgboye, who recently won the prestigious 2025 Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. The ensemble further includes former Scottish Comedian Of The Year Larry Dean, Changing Ends star Jack Shep, and Shakespeare's Globe regular George Fouracres.
Completing the lineup are former Cambridge Footlights member Emma Sidi, Taskmaster contestant Ania Magliano, Everyone Else Burns actor Paddy Young, Edinburgh Fringe regular Annabel Marlow, and stand-up comedian Al Nash. This diverse group brings together established television performers and rising stars from the live comedy circuit.
Royal Connections and Famous Family Ties
Several cast members bring intriguing personal connections that add extra interest to the production. Celeste Dring, born in Wolverhampton, previously portrayed Princess Eugenie in Channel 4's satirical sitcom The Windsors, which parodied various members of the British royal family including Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and King Charles III.
Meanwhile, Annabel Marlow boasts a different kind of celebrity connection through her sibling Toby Marlow, the creative mastermind behind the internationally successful musical Six, which dramatises the lives of Henry VIII's six wives. Annabel herself performed in the production, taking on the role of Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of the notorious Tudor monarch, during its 2017 run.
Toby Marlow made history four years ago by becoming the first openly non-binary composer-lyricist to win a Tony Award for Best Original Score for Six, sharing the honour with collaborator Lucy Moss. The multi-talented creative also previously appeared in an episode of the BBC crime drama Silent Witness in 2006.
Production Details and Executive Excitement
The UK adaptation will consist of six action-packed episodes that will follow the successful format of the original NBC series, focusing on pop culture commentary and current events with a different special guest appearing each week. From the famous opening monologue to the satirical Weekend Update news segment, the production promises to deliver weekly laughter to audiences both in the studio and watching at home.
James Longman, lead producer for the series, expressed tremendous enthusiasm about the assembled cast, stating: "The UK is absolutely packed with incredible comedy talent right now, and this cast represents the freshest voices we have; they're bold, exciting and of course, incredibly funny. The chemistry between them is something special, and we can't wait to share this funny group of people with the world."
Phil Edgar-Jones, executive director of Unscripted Originals at Sky, added: "We all need a laugh like never before, so we're beyond excited to bring Saturday Night Live to the UK, only 50 short years after it first launched in the US. The show's long-standing legacy of discovering and nurturing outstanding comedy talent speaks for itself, and this UK version will build on that legacy with the support of Lorne Michaels, a brilliant local production team, and an exciting new generation of voices. Saturday nights are looking bright!"
The series will officially launch on March 21, with audiences hearing the iconic adapted opening phrase: "Live from London, it's Saturday Night." This marks a significant moment in British television comedy, bringing a beloved international format to local audiences while showcasing homegrown talent with impressive credentials and fascinating personal connections to both royalty and entertainment royalty.
