Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed have been announced as the first three guest hosts of the UK version of Saturday Night Live. The long-awaited British spin-off of the iconic US comedy show will air live on Sky One starting 21 March.
The show will replicate SNL's famously fast turnaround, with episodes written and rehearsed during the week of broadcast before being performed live to a studio audience in London. Each episode will feature an opening monologue, topical sketches, live music, and a British take on the satirical news segment Weekend Update.
The first three musical acts confirmed are Isle of Wight indie band Wet Leg, Brit award-winners Wolf Alice, and rock legends Kasabian. Lorne Michaels, creator of the original SNL, serves as executive producer alongside a team of 20 writers and a regular cast of 11 comedians.
The cast includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young. Many have backgrounds in Cambridge Footlights and Edinburgh fringe awards, though they are not yet household names.
Head writer Johnson described the team as 'ludicrously' talented, adding: 'All of them make me giddy to come to work each day.' The first episode airs on Sky One at 10pm on 21 March, also available on streaming service Now.
