EXCLUSIVE: Eagle-eyed Saturday Night Live UK fans may have spotted some starry consultants on the credits list last weekend.
Buried in the credits were two of the UK’s pre-eminent TV writers, Barbie star and Stath Lets Flats creator Jamie Demetriou and James Graham, the brains behind Sherwood, Dear England and Quiz.
The two are both listed as UK consultants on SNL UK, while Keri Powers and Javier Winnik, who work on the American version, are U.S. consultants. Demetriou and Graham are working across the full series, we understand.
Demetriou is plenty connected to the SNL UK team. He has worked in the past with head writer Daran Jonno Johnson and is close comedy compadres with Al Roberts, one of the writers, who plays his bestie in Stath Lets Flats, his triple-BAFTA-winning Channel 4 comedy. Roberts’ wife is Emma Sidi, one of the SNL UK cast members, and she has worked with Demetriou a lot down the years. His acting credits include Barbie and Charli xcx movie The Moment.
Graham’s consulting role is perhaps more surprising as he is not known first and foremost for his comedy chops, although he is widely regarded as one of the most prolific creatives in British TV. His next project is Dear England, the BBC’s adaptation of his hit play about the England soccer team. Graham has written around 30 plays and 10 TV shows over the past 20 years.
The pair add a dose of star power to the SNL UK backroom, which is helmed by lead producer James Longman and SNL creator Lorne Michaels.
Saturday’s second episode, for which ratings dipped slightly, featured a cold open roasting the former Prince Andrew and was ably steered by host Jamie Dornan, who appeared in sketches including a horror comedy about Jools Holland.
SNL UK was met with a healthy dose of skepticism before launch on Sky One but has been going down well with critics and audiences so far. Next week’s ep will be hosted by Riz Ahmed. There are five after that. Producers are Michaels’ Broadway Video and Universal Televison Alternative Studio.
