Sky has officially revealed the full inaugural cast for ‘Saturday Night Live UK’, confirming the 11 performers who will make up the first-ever British incarnation of NBC’s legendary late-night comedy institution.
The six-episode Sky Original will broadcast live each week, bringing the famously high-pressure SNL format to the UK for the first time. Each episode will be written, rehearsed, and performed in the same week, featuring a rotating guest host, a chart-topping musical guest, topical sketches, and a UK take on the iconic ‘Weekend Update’ segment.
The cast mixes stand-up comics, sketch performers, theatre actors, and musical comedians, reflecting Sky’s aim to showcase a broad cross-section of contemporary British comedy talent.
Meet the Cast of ‘Saturday Night Live UK’
Hammed Animashaun (Black Ops, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
An actor with a strong theatre background, Animashaun describes himself as “an actor first and foremost,” with live performance at the heart of his work. He cites Lenny Henry, Gina Yashere, Dave Chappelle, and Chris Rock as major influences, and says joining SNL UK was an opportunity he “would’ve been weird to say no to.”
Ayoade Bamgboye (Swings and Roundabouts, Rise and Shine with Channel 9)
Relatively new to comedy, Bamgboye left a career in advertising to pursue stand-up and sketch full-time. After a rapid rise that included an Edinburgh Fringe Best Newcomer win, she sees SNL UK as “the perfect place to accelerate my learning,” calling it an intense but exciting training ground.
Larry Dean (Live at the Apollo, The Royal Variety Performance)
A well-established stand-up comic, Dean has long been influenced by performers such as Richard Pryor and Jim Carrey. While best known for stand-up, he has also appeared in sketch formats, and says SNL UK represents the perfect blend of acting and live comedy.
Celeste Dring (Lazy Susan, This Country)
Part of the sketch double act Lazy Susan, Dring comes from a background that blends character comedy with ensemble work. She points to Kristen Wiig, Julia Davis, and the casts of Smack the Pony and Big Train as major inspirations, describing the show as “a no-brainer” creatively.
George Fouracres (Steve, Hamlet at Shakespeare’s Globe)
An Associate Artist at Shakespeare’s Globe, Fouracres brings a strong theatrical pedigree alongside sketch and character comedy experience. A lifelong SNL fan, he says the chance to perform intense, eccentric characters on live late-night television is “my dream job.”
Ania Magliano (Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo)
A stand-up comedian with nearly a decade of live performance behind her, Magliano is keen to bring her solo comedy voice into a collaborative sketch environment. She describes the chance to perform live on Saturday nights as “mad” and something she never expected to be part of.
Annabel Marlow (Six The Musical, Muriel’s Wedding)
With a background in musical theatre and comedy songwriting, Marlow previously performed a one-woman musical comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe. A longtime SNL fan, she is particularly excited about creating characters and writing music for the series.
Al Nash (Michael McIntyre’s Big Show)
A sketch-obsessed performer who began by founding a university comedy society, Nash has written and directed multiple Edinburgh Fringe shows before moving into performance and online sketches. He sees SNL UK as a major opportunity for the UK comedy scene as a whole.
Jack Shep (Big Boys)
Describing himself as “a comic rather than a stand-up comedian,” Shep blends acting, writing, and performance. He highlights the intensity of producing a live show in a week as the most exciting part of the SNL format.
Emma Sidi (Starstruck, Alan Partridge Live: Stratagem)
Specialising in character comedy, Sidi has toured extensively and performed multiple Edinburgh Fringe shows. Influenced by performers such as Victoria Wood and French & Saunders, she sees SNL UK as a chance to bring character-driven comedy back to mainstream TV.
Paddy Young (Everyone Else Burns, Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping)
A writer and performer with a love of surreal and alternative comedy, Young credits early exposure to theatre for shaping his career. He describes SNL UK as “the most exciting thing that’s happened in comedy in this country for a long time.”
Behind the Scenes
‘Saturday Night Live UK’ is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK production team and Broadway Video for Sky and NOW. Lorne Michaels executive produces, with James Longman serving as Lead Producer, Liz Clare directing, and Daran Jonno Johnson acting as Head Writer. The series was commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones and Lisa Clark for Sky Studios.
‘Saturday Night Live UK’ premieres Friday, 21st March 2026 on Sky One (rebranded from Sky Max) and NOW.
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