A British Adaptation Of Saturday Night Live Is Coming To Sky
"Saturday Night Live" has been an absolute staple of American television for nearly five decades now. But the long-running sketch show is about to get new life in the U.K., as a British adaptation is officially in the works. Yes, after more than 45 seasons it looks like we are going to get some British humor stylings in this format, assuming the new iteration of the show sticks to the classic format. Though one assumes they probably will.
As reported by Variety, British pay-TV operator Sky, which is owned by Comcast, is currently developing its own version of "Saturday Night Live." There is no word on how far along in the development process the show is, so it's hard to say when the series might actually make it to air. Comcast purchased Sky back in 2018, and that's why this adaptation is only just now happening. As corporations are fond of saying, this creates synergy.
It's also not the first time the show has been adapted for international audiences. Versions of "SNL" air all over the world in countries such as China, Japan, France, Italy, Poland and, Brazil, among others. Adding the U.K. to that list makes every bit of sense.
Saturday Night In London
The fact of the matter is, adaptations of shows from other countries are nothing new. NBC actually scored one of its biggest hits of all time in adapting "The Office" for American television, which was a British import. Perhaps Sky can have success making its own thing out of "Saturday Night Live" in adapting it for European audiences. It's a tried-and-true format and there is no reason to think it won't succeed.
As Variety also notes, "SNL" was not widely available in the U.K. for many years, and only recently have full episodes been making their way to Sky Comedy. That could also help make now the right time to do this. What remains to be seen is who is heading up the project creatively, and to what degree (if any) series creator Lorne Michaels will be involved. Perhaps most importantly, who will host the inaugural episode?
NBC debuted "Saturday Night Live" in October 1975, and the legendary comedian George Carlin hosted. While the show looked quite a bit different at that time, it has remained on the air ever since and has weathered countless cast changes, shifts in the TV landscape, and even the dramatic focus on streaming that has come in the last handful of years. Adapting the show for a wider audience can only help serve to cement its legacy even further.