A British version of Saturday Night Live is launched and James Longman is promoting it as the show’s lead producer.
He was previously an executive producer The Late Late Show with James Corden and won two Emmys.
So his words carry weight when he says his team is creating something “very special” for fans as the iconic NBC adaptation will debut on Sky.
In his promotions for the show, Longman said that now is the right time to make it, given the situation around the world.
“It’s a perfect time for shows like this. The world is rough right now, so it’s a really good time to have a laugh,” he said BBC Radio 4’s Today show.
Moreover, the British version of SNL also includes satire, Longman said, adding, “There are so many things to be funny about, and so it’s just finding the right angle for us. The key for us is to be funny.”
The show premieres in the UK on Sky and in the US on Peacock on Saturday. Tina Frey, an alum of the live event show, will host the first episode.
Lorne Michaels, who directed the original American version, is reportedly in Britain to help with the writers’ room – where Daran Jonno Johnson is the head writer – to prepare the show.
The creator was also an executive producer, with Liz Clare directing.
The show’s cast members include Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young.
