SNL UK confirms cast – including Hammed Animashaun, George Fouracres and Annabel Marlow

Sky has announced the 11 performers who will form the first cast of Saturday Night Live UK, the British version of the NBC late-night comedy programme. The six-episode Sky Original series will begin on 21 March and will be broadcast live each week.

The cast comprises WhatsOnStage Award-winner Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young. Writers for the series will be confirmed at a later date.

Each episode will be written, rehearsed and performed during the same week and staged in front of a studio audience. The programme will include an opening monologue, topical sketches, music performances and a UK version of the news segment Weekend Update. A different guest host and musical guest will appear in each episode.

Saturday Night Live UK will be produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK production team and Broadway Video for Sky and NOW. Lorne Michaels will executive produce, with James Longman as Lead Producer, Liz Clare as Director and Daran Jonno Johnson as Head Writer.

UTAS UK Productions is overseen by managing director Helen Kruger Bratt, with Shanna Baynard as executive in charge of production, Andy Charles Smith as lead producer for UTAS UK Productions and Sam Salter as production executive. The series was commissioned by Phil Edgar Jones and Lisa Clark for Cecile Frot-Coutaz.