British comedy once dominated the small screen, spawning iconic shows and formats from “Monty Python” to “The Office.” But the last decade hasn’t been a bundle of laughs as sketch shows and sitcoms fell out of fashion, partly due to traditional broadcasters’ shrinking budgets while awards-hungry streamers were focused on prestige dramas that grabbed headlines and travelled internationally – something comedies struggle with.
Over the past year, however, there has been a shift, with commissioners taking big swings on shows like Sky’s “Saturday Night Live U.K.,” TLC’s “Mock the Week” – both of which return for a second season this weekend — and “L.O.L: Last One Laughing U.K.” on Prime Video, which drops a Halloween special next month followed by a third season in 2027. So busy is the landscape that Variety hears shows are even competing over studio space.
“I definitely do [think comedy commissioning is bouncing back],” says “Mock the Week” host Dara Ó Briain. “‘L.O.L,’ ‘SNL [U.K.]’ and us are being used to push channels, which is the first time that’s happened in a while.”
In particular, “SNL U.K.” has injected some pizzazz into British TV comedy since its March debut, partly thanks to its cast of mostly fresh faces. Three comedians Variety spoke to for this piece, two of whom auditioned for the show, all said they’d expected “SNL U.K.” to feature the “usual suspects,” meaning British panel show regulars such as Romesh Ranganathan, Rob Beckett and Katherine Ryan. “I think it’s really exciting and brave of them to take those risks and cast new people because that should be what that show is for,” said one of the two who auditioned, agreeing to speak on condition of anonymity.
