“Saturday Night Live” is landing across the pond. The British adaptation of NBC’s long-running comedy series is set to premiere on March 21, which means there’s a whole new lineup of stand-ups to familiarize yourself with.
Like the original show, “SNL U.K.” will feature rotating hosts, musical guests, opening monologues, topical sketches and even its own “Weekend Update” — all with a British spin.
The core cast includes 11 cast members, all of whom bring with them unique backgrounds that span comedy, music and drama. The cast — who Liz Jenkins, chief business officer of NBCUniversal Entertainment, referred to as a group of “bold new British voices” — includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young.
In the U.S., the show will stream on Peacock the day after it airs on the U.K.’s Sky One and Now.
Read on for a guide to the new faces of “SNL U.K.”
Hammed Animashaun
Hammed Animashaun is a British actor and comedian known for his versatile stage, television and film work. He won best male comedy performance at the 2024 Royal Television Society Programme Awards for his role as Kay in “Black Ops” and appears as Loial in Amazon’s “The Wheel of Time.” His theater credits include starring as Bottom in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Bridge Theatre.
Hometown: East London
Comedy heroes: Lenny Henry, Gina Yashere, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
It’s the prestige of “Saturday Night Live,” to be part of something so popular and historic is a privilege. I don’t think there’s another show like it that’s been running as long. It would’ve been weird to have said no!
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I think of myself as an actor first and foremost. I’ve done a lot of theatre. That’s my first love so I feel very much at home on the stage and performing live. Transferring that experience over to live comedy is something I’m really excited for.
Ayoade Bamgboye
Ayoade Bamgboye is a Nigerian‑British comedian, writer and actor who has quickly become a standout on the U.K. stand‑up circuit. She won best newcomer at the 2025 Edinburgh Comedy Awards for her solo show “Swings and Roundabouts” and has taken the set to venues including the Soho Theatre. Bamgboye also wrote and performed on Channel 4’s “Rise and Shine With Channel 9.”
Hometown: London and Lagos
Comedy heroes: Julio Torres, Jamali Maddix, Patti Harrison, Kristen Wiig, Chris Morris and Zainab Johnson.
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
There’s no better training ground. I’m maybe three, four years into comedy, and it just feels like the perfect place to accelerate my learning. Having a steep learning curve like this gives me so much bandwidth to try many different things in a short space of time.
What’s your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I was in advertising, and I decided to quit my job and try comedy for a year. My journey in comedy since then has been such a series of blessings and serendipitous moments, it’s been a domino effect of doing lots of different comedy nights and meeting different comedians. I’ve felt so empowered watching them, it’s made me try lots of different things. I went to Edinburgh Fringe for the first time and won best newcomer, it snowballed from there and now I’m on “Saturday Night Live.”
Larry Dean
Larry Dean is a Scottish stand‑up comedian and writer. A former Scottish Comedian of the Year and Amused Moose Award winner, he has appeared on “Live at the Apollo,” “Mock the Week” and “Michael McIntyre’s Big Show.” Dean’s acclaimed Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows include “Fandan” and “Dodger.”
Hometown: Glasgow
Comedy heroes: Richard Pryor, Jim Carrey
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
I just love sketch comedy. There have been so many people who have appeared on “Saturday Night Live,” either as hosts or part of the cast that are my comedy heroes like Jim Carrey, Richard Pryor, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey. It’s always been my dream to do acting and stand-up, so this is exactly what I want to be doing.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I did a couple of series of “The Stand Up Sketch Show” (ITV), which was a bit different to the usual format as you’re miming other comedians’ stand-up routines. But my background is really in stand-up which I love, performing all over and releasing a few specials.
Celeste Dring
Celeste Dring is an English actor, writer and sketch performer with credits across television and comedy. She co‑created and starred in the sketch series “Lazy Susan” on BBC Three. She has also appeared in “Wanderlust,” “This Country” and “The Windsors,” where she played Princess Eugenie.
Hometown: Wolverhampton
Comedy heroes: Kristen Wiig, Julia Davis and everyone from “Smack the Pony” and “Big Train.”
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
It was a no-brainer really. I just love the idea of being creative with a group of brilliantly talented and funny people and the chance to do something new.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I’d done a lot of more serious plays at uni but I was always a lover of comedy and decided to give it a crack after I left. Freya Parker and I started performing as a double act, Lazy Susan, going to Edinburgh Fringe and doing shows there. And from there we got our own radio show and eventually sketch comedy show on TV.
George Fouracres
George Fouracres is an actor and comedian best known for his involvement with Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, where he’s acted in productions of “Hamlet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Twelfth Night,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Tempest” and “The Comedy of Errors.” Before joining “SNL U.K.”, Fouracres was a part of Daphne, a comedy trio, with Phil Wang and Jason Forbes. He also appeared in Netflix’s “Steve.”
Hometown: Willenhall, Wolverhampton
Comedy hero: Martin Short, Roberto Benigni, Steve Carrell
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
I’ve been in love with “Saturday Night Live” since forever. It was my dream job when I was younger because my favorite thing is playing lots of very intense, insane characters, and I love the glamour of late night live TV. Seeing clips of “SNL” in the U.S., I always thought “I wish we had that. Why don’t we have something like that?” So the fact that we do now, and I get to be part of it, blows my tiny mind.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
My career has mainly been performing at Shakespeare’s Globe in London where I’m an Associate Artist (last year I did my seventh show there), but I started in the industry acting and writing in a sketch group called Daphne with my friends Jason Forbes and Phil Wang. We gigged together for four years and wrote three Edinburgh Fringe shows and two series of a BBC Radio 4 show. In 2019 I did my first (and only!) solo stand-up show, “Gentlemon.” Most recently in the comedy world I performed in Flo & Joan’s award-winning show “One Man Musical” in the U.K. and Australia. These days I also occasionally co-host the podcast “Budpod” with my best friend Pierre Novellie.
Ania Magliano
Writer and comedian Ania Magliano joins the cast with a longlist of credits on her resume. Magliano has appeared on Season 20 of the British comedy game show “Taskmaster,” Richard Osman’s “House of Games,” “The Stand Up Sketch Show,” “The Comedy Guide to Life” and more. The Gen Z stand-up’s writing credits include “The Emily Atack Show,” “Frankie Boyle’s New World Order,” “Newsjack,” “The Now Show” and Amelia Dimoldenberg’s “Chicken Shop Date.” Her show “I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This” was nominated for best show at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
Hometown: Buckinghamshire
Comedy hero: Ross from “Friends”
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
I love performing stand-up, but the chance to work collaboratively with other amazing comedians was a huge draw for me. And honestly, being part of “SNL U.K.” is just incredibly cool. “SNL” is a major comedy institution that I never expected to be a part of, so the idea that I get to go live on Saturday nights is mad — I can’t wait.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I did my first gig when I was 18, so it’s pretty surreal that it’s been nearly 10 years now. Since then, I’ve performed sold-out tours, filmed a stand-up special and taken shows to Edinburgh. It’s through stand-up that I really found my voice. I feel very lucky to have performed for audiences who genuinely want to see me, and I’m excited to bring that background into sketch comedy. Some of my favorite comedy moments are sketch so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it!
Annabel Marlow
Annabel Marlow is a professionally trained actor and musical comedian. She’s performed at venues including Soho Theatre, Moth Club and Southwark Playhouse. Her one-person show, “Is This Okay ??,” sold out its run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. No stranger to live performance, Marlow originated the role of Katherine Howard in “Six” in 2018. She trained at LAMDA before graduating from the University of Leeds, and went on to attend the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama where she completed a Master’s in contemporary acting.
Hometown: Henley-on-Thames
Comedy hero: Kristen Wiig
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
I’m a huge fan of the show, I actually have an old fan account from 2016 I used to run on social media that was dedicated to being obsessed with “Saturday Night Live.” “SNL” combines everything I love. I’m excited to create characters and hopefully write some music as well.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I wrote and performed a one woman show at Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 called “Is This Okay??” that was an hour of comedy songs and pop songs, with bits of stand-up. My background is stand-up and musical comedy, and all my acting jobs have been musical theater.
Al Nash
Comedian, actor and writer Al Nash joins the cast of “SNL U.K.” with an impressive portfolio of viral videos. Across his social media accounts, his inventive online sketches have been viewed more than 100 million times collectively. In addition to appearing on Channel 4 and BBC One, Nash is a frequent fixture of the London comedy circuit and hosts “Al Nash & Friends” at the Moth Club.
Hometown: Buckinghamshire
Comedy hero: John Candy
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
I think it’s a really exciting opportunity for the U.K. comedy industry in general. For it to be a new sketch format in the U.K., but also one of the biggest sketch comedy formats in the world, it’s got so much potential. As someone who is sketch comedy obsessed, I’m just so happy to be a part of the cast.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I started the comedy society at the University of Sussex, which birthed a sketch group that I wrote and directed multiple Edinburgh Fringe shows for. I then started performing live myself in 2018, and have made online sketches since 2020.
Jack Shep
Jack Shep is a writer, comedian and actor. Shep was a finalist at the BBC New Comedy Awards and is a regular in London’s stand-up circuit. He’s made appearances on various TV shows, including “Changing Ends,” “One Day,” and “Big Boys.” Shep has also worked in writing rooms with BBC Studios, Avalon and Hat Trick.
Hometown: Bedfordshire
Comedy heroes: Tim Robinson and Patti Harrison
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
It’s just a completely unique show. To make a finished show in a week and then start all over again the next week is amazing. Being able to be in a room full of comedians being stupid and funny like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I’d describe myself as a comic rather than a stand-up comedian. I do a bit of acting and writing too but basically, I’m always doing stupid shit which I think makes me primed for “SNL.”
Emma Sidi
Emma Sidi is an actress, comedian and writer for radio, stage and screen. She was a finalist for the NATYS New Act of the Year Show in 2016. Her Edinburgh Fringe productions include “Character Breakdown,” where she played six characters, “Telenovela,” and “Emma Sidi Is Sue Gray.” Sidi has also appeared in several TV comedies and competed on “Taskmaster,” finishing third overall.
Hometown: Woking
Comedy heroes: Maria Bamford, Victoria Wood, French & Saunders, the cast of “Seinfeld.”
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
I love comedy and character comedy especially, and I think there isn’t that much character comedy on TV in the U.K. right now. My favorite comedies to watch growing up were “French & Saunders,” “The Fast Show,” “Reeves and Mortimer,” all those pioneering shows from the alt comedy scene. “Saturday Night Live” is a huge opportunity to get that kind of comedy back on TV and online.
What’s your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I’ve been doing sketch, character comedy and improv since university. There’s nothing like the thrill that comes from live comedy, and it’s where I have met my best friends. I’ve found that I’ve specialized in character comedy, and have done the Edinburgh Fringe multiple times, and toured the U.K., Melbourne and New York. I loved touring my recent show, “Emma Sidi Is Sue Gray,” in which I played the former civil servant Sue Gray — because someone had to do it. That show was a real manifesto of my taste. A bit left-field and very cheeky.
Paddy Young
Paddy Young is an Edinburgh Comedy Award–nominated actor, writer and comedian. In 2023, he was nominated for best newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards for his debut show “Hungry, Horny, Scared,” which later toured widely and had sold-out runs at Soho Theatre. His follow-up show “If I Told You I’d Have to Kiss You” premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe before touring the U.K. and Ireland in 2024 and 2025. Young also made appearances in the TV shows “Everyone Else Burns,” “Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping,” and “Fin vs. the Internet.”
Hometown: Scarborough
Comedy hero: Vic & Bob, Norm Macdonald, Viz
Why did you want to be part of the “SNL U.K.” cast?
It feels like the most exciting thing that’s happened in comedy in this country for a long time, even more than Reels. The scale of it is quackers: 11 in the cast, 18 writers and the catering is world class.
What is your background in live performance or sketch comedy?
I was very lucky because Scarborough had an amazing theatre — the Stephen Joseph Theatre — which I practically grew up in. I was completely obsessed with comedy but had no idea how to do it. By the time I went to drama school in Manchester I found myself constantly sneaking away to watch stand-up, though it took me a long time to actually do it.
