Live from the other side of the pond … it’s Saturday night.
The new U.K. version of “Saturday Night Live,” premieringi n March, will follow the blueprint of its American counterpart, with guest hosts and live musical guests.
In fact, “SNL” legend Tina Fey will host the premiere episode, and even starred in a cheeky promo with the cast, in which she did a Mary Poppins impression while plugging her appearance.
“‘Saturday Night Live’ is one of the most influential comedy brands in the world and bringing the UK edition to Peacock is a natural extension of that legacy,” NBCUniversal Entertainment chief business officer Liz Jenkins said in a statement about the show.
“As the streaming home of ‘SNL,’ Peacock is proud to introduce bold new British voices to a global stage.”
“Saturday Night Live UK” will kick off its first season with cast members Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young.
Riz Ahmed, who was nominated for a best actor Academy Award for his work in “Sound of Metal,” will host one of the episodes. He has no idea what to expect.
“I was hoping you could tell me,” he told Dylan Dreyer, Craig Melvin and Kaylee Hartung March 17 on the 3rd hour of TODAY.
“Cause ‘SNL’ is new to the UK, right? It’s such an amazing institution here. It has such a kind of lore and I think it’ll be really fascinating to see how we can kind of honor that, but also kind of do our own thing with it. British humor is very specific. And if we do our own thing with it, don’t be mad.”
He then pointed to a British series that made its way to America and did very well.
“You guys stole ‘The Office’ from us, so we’re going to take ‘SNL’ from you,” he said.
While “Saturday Night Live UK” gears up to make its own mark, the original “Saturday Night Live” continues to chug along, after its milestone 50th season wrapped last year. Created by Lorne Michaels and serving as a launching pad for scores of comedians, from Chevy Chase and Bill Murray to Tina Fey and Bowen Yang, it’s become a pop culture staple, currently in the midst of its 51st season. And sometimes the show is so funny, even the hosts (we’re looking at you, Ryan Gosling) have trouble holding it together.
“SNL” has received 338 Emmy nominations during its run and won 93 Emmy Awards, according to the Television Academy.
What Time Does ‘Saturday Night Live UK’ Air in the U.S.?
“Saturday Night Live UK” will premiere March 21 on SKY One and stream on NOW TV in Britain.
The episode airs at 10 p.m. GMT, which is 2 p.m. ET.
How to Watch ‘Saturday Night Live UK’ in the U.S.
Peacock will carry episodes of “Saturday Night Live UK,” the British version of the iconic late-night series, the day after each episode originally airs.
New episodes will be available to stream on Peacock starting March 22.
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