News that a British version of the long-running US sketch show was coming to Sky in 2026 broke in March 2025, with further details now being revealed.
"SNL" launched the careers of a number of huge Hollywood stars, including Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, and Will Ferrell.
Following their 50th anniversary of being on air, news that the institution would venture outside of America broke.
The Sky Original will launch later this month on Saturday, March 21 on Sky and NOW.
The show will feature the best of comedy talent across the UK and beyond, with the writers’ room bursting with award-winners, acclaimed stand-ups and establish TV writers.
Jonno Johnson was previously announced as Head Writer for the series, with comedy writer and journalist Charlie Skelton (of "8 Out of 10 Cats" fame) serving as Weekend Update Head Writer.
A full cast of 20 writers — including the aforementioned Johnson and Skelton.
Award-winning Irish writer and stand-up comedian Gráinne Maguire joins the team. Maguire boasts credits including "The Last Leg", "8 Out of 10 Cats", "Late Night Mash" as well as the BAFTAs and MTV Awards.
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The comic has had a string of TV and radio appearances including Radio 2’s "What If?" and Comedy Central’s "Alternative Comedy".
Maguire’s stand-up shows include a string of performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe — in 2016 with "Great People Making Great Choices", and in 2017 with "Gráinne with a Fada".
Alongside comedy, the London-based comic has dipped her toes into politics and produced 20 episodes of the "Changing Politics" podcast, which was funded by think-tank Labour Together.
Elsewhere, actor, comedian and writer Humphrey Ker joins the "SNL UK" writing team.
Many will recognize the Community Director of Wrexham FC due to his feature in the Emmy award-winning documentary series of the Welsh soccer club, "Welcome to Wrexham".
The 43-year-old has also appeared on shows including "8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown" and "Have I Got News For You", and hosted "Sketchorama".
The other writers have been named as Al Roberts, from the sketch group Sheeps; stand-up comic Ayo Adenekan; stand-up comic and writer Bella Hull, Parisian writer and comic Celya AB; comedian, actor and writer Chris Cantrill; writer and facilitator Ellie Fulcher; writer and improviser Hari Kanth; Welsh writer and performer James Farmer; New Zealand-born comic, writer and director Joseph Moore and writer and executive producer Keith Akushie.
Writer and chat show guest Laura Claxton; writer Louis Waymouth; comedy writer and actor Nathan Foad; Egyptian comedian and satirist Omar Badawy and writer and performer Omodara Olatinji round out the list.
Speaking at the announcement of the writers, Jonno noted that the number of talent on board for "SNL UK" was "ludicrous."
"Some of them have been doing this for years, some of them it’s their first ever writing job," he explained, "All of them make me giddy to come to work each day.
"Could not imaginably feel luckier that we get to make this show together."
* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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