Saturday Night Live UK will return for a second series, Sky has announced.

The second run will be expanded to 12 episodes –  up from the eight in the current run – and will air between September 2026 and early 2027.

The news comes as the landmark first series draws to a close next week, with former Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa hosting.

Executive producer Lorne Michaels – who created the US original 51 years ago – said: 'I'm incredibly proud of our team and the show. It keeps getting better every week. I’m grateful to Sky for believing in and supporting SNL UK. I’m excited for the season ahead.’

Phil Edgar Jones, executive director of unscripted originals for Sky said: 'It’s fair to say people doubted SNL would work in the UK, but thanks to Lorne Michaels, his longtime Saturday Night Live producing team and our brilliant cast and writers, SNL UK is Sky’s most talked-about show of the year. 

’It’s now firmly part of the cultural conversation and we’re thrilled the show will be returning in the autumn, bringing laughter and mischief to our audiences, live from London on a Saturday night.’

Hannah Waddingham will host the penultimate show this Saturday night.

Previous episodes have been hosted by Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Riz Ahmed, Jack Whitehall, Nicola Coughlan and Aimee Lou Wood.

The show attracts around 120,000 viewers live – down from the peak of 226,000 for the launch episode. However it is hugely successful on social media, with reports of a total of 86 million views on social media two weeks ago. It has also been a critical success and gathered countless column inches for Sky, which depends on subscription numbers much more than overnight viewing figures.

The cast for the first series Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep and Emma Sidi with Ania Magliano and Paddy Young as the Weekend Update anchors.

Jonno Johnson heads a writing team that comprises Charlie Skelton, Celya AB, Omar Badawy, Gráinne Maguire, Laura Claxton, Chris Cantrill, James Farmer, Humphrey Ker, Omodara Olatunji, Joseph Moore, Lorna Rose Treen, Hari Kanth, Louis Waymouth, Keith Akushie, Bella Hull, Ayo Adenekan, Nathan Foad, Al Roberts and Ellie Fulcher.

SNL UK is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio UK and  Michaels' company, Broadway Video.