Peacock takes US streaming rights to Sky’s UK version of Saturday Night Live

The cast of Saturday Night Live UK

Comcast-owned streamer Peacock has acquired sketch comedy variety format Saturday Night Live UK (SNL UK) and will stream it in the US the day after its UK premiere.

The British version of the long-running American show, which has aired for 51 seasons on NBC since 1975, debuts on pay TV operator Sky’s recently re-booted channel Sky One on March 21.

Produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK production team and Broadway Video for Sky and VoD platform Now, SNL UK is executive produced by original creator Lorne Michaels.

Emma Sidi (Starstruck), Jack Shep (Big Boys) and Hammed Animashaun (Black Ops) will be part of the 11-strong troupe that features in the six-part series.

Reimagining SNL through a British lens, each episode will be written, rehearsed and performed in the week of each show, before it is staged in front of a live studio audience.

Regular features include an opening monologue, topical sketches, live music and a home-grown take on SNL’s news satire, Weekend Update.

Sky previously appointed UK comedy veteran Lisa Clark as SNL UK’s commissioning executive, with James Longman (lead producer), Liz Clare (director) and Daran Jonno Johnson (head writer) leading the show’s production, direction and writing teams.

Liz Jenkins, chief business officer at NBCUniversal Entertainment, said: “Saturday Night Live is one of the most influential comedy brands in the world and bringing the UK edition to Peacock is a natural extension of that legacy.

“As the streaming home of SNL, Peacock is proud to introduce bold new British voices to a global stage.”