London is a funny city – and we’re not just talking about the outlandish characters that populate any high street in the capital. For a couple of quid, Londoners can take a punt on one of the city’s many comedy clubs and be treated to some of the country’s brightest comedy talent – and maybe even spot the stars of tomorrow.
That’s what makes the arrival of Saturday Night Live UK, which debuts on Sky this Saturday, March 21, so exciting. Sure, it’s the transfer of a hugely popular American format, with SNL legend Tina Fey hosting the first show and giving it her mark of approval. But it’s the UK talent involved who you should be buzzing to see: 11 of the British comedy scene’s most interesting performers starring in sketches, with an even larger group of comics writing backstage.
If you’re well-versed in British TV comedy, you’ll know some of SNL UK’s performers: Black Ops star (and Bafta nominee) Hammed Animashaun, The Windsors’s Celeste Dring, Starstruck’s Emma Sidi. Many of the others have experienced success in the microcosm of the Edinburgh Fringe. But SNL UK is a whole other ball game – a TV format where they, rightfully, are the stars.
As the “L” in SNL suggests, it’s a love of all things live that drives the cast. That means different things to different people; George Fouracres and Annabel Marlow, for example, are best known for their theatre work. But many members of the cast of Saturday Night Live UK will be gigging across London in the coming months, and this is where you can see them.
Al Nash
The SNL UK cast member with the most prominent online presence, Al Nash is best known for his viral comedy videos. You know the ones; they often riff on popular social media video formats, and see Nash playing everyone from a beanie-wearing east London dweller to a phone snatcher. But he’s also a skilled live performer, who recently began hosting his own mixed bill night at Hackney’s Moth Club. The former working men’s club is host to promoter Knock 2 Bag, with the most consistent comedy line-ups in London, and Al Nash and Friends is no exception. Here, you’ll get to see the other stars of the internet that make up his comedy clique – Toby DB, Imogen Andrews, Thomas James Gray, Durk and Ski – IRL. Keep your eyes peeled for the next show.
@alnashcomedy
Ania Magliano
A cheeky performer and writer of smart observational comedy, Ania Magliano has been on the up and up for years now, with hit shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, support slots for Marc Maron and Ed Gamble and writing credits on Chicken Shop Date. But it was her stint on Taskmaster last year that really gave the wider British public a taste of Magliano’s comedy (and sharp outfits) – now, as one of SNL UK’s Weekend Update hosts (a parody on nightly news programmes), she’ll be getting even more airtime. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to see Magliano in the months ahead. She’s taking her new show Peach Fuzz to the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and is touring the UK in the run-up, with two nights at the Bloomsbury Theatre (May 14 and 15) and a two-week run at the Soho Theatre (June 22 to July 4).
@aniamagliano
Paddy Young
Joining Magliano as SNL UK’s Weekend Update co-anchor will be Paddy Young, a comic from Scarborough. You probably know him from his comedy sketches on social media, but Young’s established himself as a big emerging name on the live comedy scene with his award-nominated shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. Over at Moth Club, he’s also the host of an evening of comedy chaos, A Night With The Stars. Imagine a parody awards show where Young, usually wearing a tux, is the host, and the comedy acts struggle to know whether to perform their usual material, a novelty act or an awards speech. Struggling to picture it? Understandable. A Night With The Stars has to be experienced to be understood – and even, you might still leave scratching your head. Absolutely worth it, though.
@paddyisyoung
Ayoade Bamgboye
As the reigning title holder of the prestigious Best Newcomer prize at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Ayoade Bamgboye has had one hell of a year. She’s bringing her award-winning debut hour Swings and Roundabouts back to the Soho Theatre in the coming months (April 30 to May 2, June 15–24), which is a perfect chance to see what the Nigerian-British comic is all about. For something more off the cuff (à la SNL), Bamgboye is also the host of The Town Hall (April 20) a new material night running at Moth Club every month, where she and a line-up of top comics can test out bits they’re working out and audiences can tune in for less than a tenner.
@ayoadezahrah
Jack Shep
He might be one of the lesser-known names among the cast list (SNL UK is his first major TV credit), but trust us: Jack Shep is a name you’ll be hearing a lot of in the future. Since 2023, he’s been running Wanting To Be Cool Having To Be Funny, an anarchic cult comedy night he hosts with close friend Anna Brown. You’ll struggle to find a more fun comedy show than W2BCH2BF, with its Very Online sense of humour and stacked line-ups, on which Bamgboye is a frequent performer. Usually at The George Tavern in Whitechapel (go early and get the pizza), sometimes dipping south of the river to the Piehouse Co-Op in Deptford, this is an event you don’t want to miss.
@jack_shep
Larry Dean
Consistently one of the most talked about names at the Edinburgh Fringe, Larry Dean is the man flying the flag for Scotland’s eclectic comedy scene on screen on SNL UK. An immaculate storyteller with a nimbleness on stage, Dean is based in Glasgow, but will be gracing the stages of London this autumn for a show at Soho Theatre Walthamstow (November 6). The material will be his new show Hellbent, all about the internal disconnect that comes with passing major adult milestones (Dean married his partner Mikey in 2025) but still feeling like a child inside. Who can’t relate?
@larrydeancomedy
