‘SNL UK’ Premieres March 21 on Peacock with Tina Fey as First Host
Saturday Night Live is crossing the Atlantic, and American viewers won’t need a new subscription to follow along. SNL UK will premiere March 21 with Tina Fey as its first host, and every episode will be available next-day on Peacock in the U.S., broadcaster Sky TV confirmed Monday. For the millions of households already paying for Peacock, that means fresh weekly comedy programming at no added cost.
Wet Leg, the English band, will serve as the musical guest for the premiere episode.
Shorter Episodes, Next-Day Streaming
One practical detail separates SNL UK from its American counterpart: runtime. Each episode will clock in at 75 minutes, compared to 90 minutes for the U.S. version.
That 15-minute difference matters more than it might seem. The American SNL airs live on Saturday nights and runs past midnight on the East Coast. SNL UK, by contrast, will land on Peacock the day after its live UK broadcast, meaning viewers can watch whenever they want — pausing, splitting across sittings, or fitting it into a weeknight after the house quiets down.
The show airs live at 10 p.m. local time in the UK on Sky One and streaming service Now. For American audiences, the next-day Peacock window is the only relevant schedule to track.
The First Three Hosts
Fey leads off on March 21. Fey joined SNL as a writer in 1997 and became the show’s first female head writer in 1999. She joined the cast in 2000 and stayed until leaving to create and star in 30 Rock in 2006. She has hosted SNL six times, making her one of the most experienced hosts the franchise could choose for a debut of this scale.
Jamie Dornan follows on March 28, with musical guest Wolf Alice. Dornan is known for The Tourist and the Fifty Shades of Grey films.
Riz Ahmed hosts April 4, joined by musical guest Kasabian. Ahmed stars in the Prime Video series Bait, set for release later this week.
Choosing Fey to anchor the very first episode sends a clear signal: the production is banking on established SNL credibility to draw audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
Same Format, British Cast
Fans of the American version will find familiar ground here. SNL UK follows the same structure as its U.S. parent — opening monologue, topical sketches, a live musical act, and the satirical news segment Weekend Update. The difference is the performers and the perspective: an all-British cast and writing team based in London.
That 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.
Behind the scenes, Lorne Michaels is executive producing. James Longman is lead producer, Liz Clare directs and Daran Jonno Johnson is head writer.
Variety reported that Michaels and SNL alum Seth Meyers have recently been in London observing table reads as the cast and writers prepare for the premiere. That level of involvement from the American production team suggests a hands-on effort to keep the UK version consistent with the brand audiences already know.
“For over 50 years Saturday Night Live has held a unique position in TV and in our collective culture, reflecting and creating the global conversation all under the masterful comedic guidance of Lorne Michaels,” Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and Sky’s Chief Content Officer for Sky, said when the show was first announced in April 2025. “The show has discovered and nurtured countless comedy and musical talents over the years and we are thrilled to be partnering with Lorne and the SNL team to bring an all-British version of the show to UK audiences next year – all live from London on Saturday night!”
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
