Saturday Night Live UK is 'jewel in the crown' of ITV and Sky deal
According to sources, SNL UK could air reruns to a larger audience on ITV.
Saturday Night Live UK is reportedly seen as "the jewel in the crown" of the ITV and Sky deal.
Earlier this week, Comcast's Sky announced a £1.6 billion acquisition of ITV's network and steaming unit, and it's said there are talks about some of Sky's original series getting airtime on the broadcaster.
An insider told Deadline: “Having ITV on tap is huge for Sky.
"ITV is one of the largest commercial broadcasters in Western Europe — on a good day, its audience is massive. Getting new eyeballs to expensive drama is smart.”
A different source added: "SNL will be the jewel in the crown of this deal. It will be Sky’s opportunity to say: ‘We have transformed British comedy.’ ”
The outlet has heard that executives at Sky are looking at options, including the possibility of airing season one of Day of the Jackal on ITV in the lead-up to the second season launching on Sky.
Sky may also premiere first episodes of new series to a larger, free-to-air TV audience through ITV.
As for SNL UK, the network might tap into ITV's audience with reruns.
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that ITV is set to sell its media and entertainment divisions to Sky.
Sky chief executive Dana Strong called the move "a defining moment for British media" as they seek to create a rival to global streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon.
The deal represents one of the biggest takeovers in British media history, but there are no plans to make major changes to popular TV shows, such as Coronation Street, This Morning, and Love Island, in the immediate future.
Sky explained: "Viewers will continue to enjoy the shows they know and love, such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Love Island, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, This Morning, Loose Women, Lorraine and News at Ten – alongside major live sporting events."
Once the deal is finalised, ITV Studios will become a standalone business, while Sky - which is owned by the American broadcasting giant Comcast - has committed to spending £2.1 billion on content from ITV Studios over five years.
