Including an SNL UK masterclass

The Edinburgh TV Festival is launching a day-long strand dedicated to comedy this year, Chortle can reveal.

The Funny Business events will run on Friday August 28, and bring together comedy creatives, commissioners, producers and other industry figures to talk about the business behind the laughs and to look at emerging talent.

It includes a masterclass on Saturday Night Live UK  ahead of its second series, which begins on Sky in September. 

The session will look at how each week's episode comes together, from a blank page on the Monday to the live broadcast on Saturday night and will feature cast members Emma Sidi and Jack Shep and head writer Daran ‘Jonno’ Johnson as well as producer James Longman, director Liz Clare, and head of wigs, hair and make-up Kevin Fortune, plus Phil Edgar-Jones, executive director of unscripted originals at Sky and Helen Kruger Bratt, managing director of programme-makers Universal Television Alternative Studio UK.

Other sessions have yet to be announced. 

Some subsidised day passes are available for comedy professionals, priced £99 plus VAT, giving access to the full Funny Business programme. TV festival website

This will be the last year the TV festival will be at Edinburgh, as it will relocate to Manchester in 2027 after 50 years overlapping with the Fringe. 

Funny Business is backed by TV  festival partner Universal Studio Group, the parent company of SNL UK’s producers.

Published: 28 Jul 2026