Sohu brings SNL to China

Internet portal Sohu will remake US entertainment format Saturday Night Live in China and is looking for local comedians to take part.

The Chinese version is being developed by the show’s creator Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video Entertainment and Sohu, which already airs the US version of the show. SNL airs on NBC in the US and has been running for four decades.

Sohu said its version would have international appeal, “combine the best elements of live music and sketch comedy” and offer “a refreshing new option for Chinese viewers.”

Search engine and video site Sohu added US talker The Ellen DeGeneres Show to its slate last year, while competitors such as Tencent air HBO shows Game of Thrones and True Detective.