Jack Whitehall to host SNL UK

With Jorja Smith the musical guest

Jack Whitehall has been unveiled as the host of next week’s Saturday Night Live UK.

The comic will from the April 11 edition, with soul star Jorja Smith as the musical guest.

The series will then take a one-week hiatus, returning for the first of four more episodes on April 25. It’s a similar schedule to the US original with typically runs three weeks on, one week off,

As previously announced, this Saturday’s 75-minute show will be hosted by Oscar-winner Riz Ahmed, who is joined by Kasabian.

Meanwhile Stath Lets Flats creator Jamie Demetriou and playwright James Graham have joined the backstage team as consultants.

SNL UK writer Al Roberts starred in Stath, while Demetriou has formerly collaborated with head writer Jonno Johnson, Roberts’ colleague in the sketch trio Sheep. He also happens to be the husband of SNL cast member Emma Sidi.

Graham is a more surprising addition as his work is more dramatic, and is often inspired by real events. His stage credits include Dear England, Punch and the theatre adaptation of Boys FromThe Blackstuff and Sherwood and Brian and Maggie on TV.

Their involvement was spotted in the credits by industry website Deadline.

Last weekend’s show was watched by 205,000 viewers live, 9 per cent down on last week’s 226,000. But remains a respectable figure for Sky One – and will not be the only metric its success is judged on, with bosses likely to consider catch-up viewing and its social media impact too.

The ‘cold open’ sketch about the former Prince Andrew has already been seen by 1.7million people on YouTue alone.

Sky airs SNL UK live from London at 10pm on a Saturday night, with the cast comprising Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young.