Lorne Michaels hopes Saturday Night Live: UK is 'cooler'
Lorne Michaels has shared his hopes for the UK version of Saturday Night Live.
Lorne Michaels wants the UK version of Saturday Night Live to be "cooler" than the US equivalent.
The 80-year-old comedian created the hit TV show in the mid-70s, and he's now revealed his vision for the UK version, which launched in March.
Speaking at a question-and-answer event in Los Angeles, Lorne explained: "My design for it was that it would be the cooler of the two shows, and it would be the thing they beat us up with that. That it’s smarter, funnier, more original, and it had to be that.
"It had to be its own thing. It couldn’t be an imitation of what we do."
Lorne talks "all the time" with UK producer James Longman and head writer Daran Jonno Johnson. However, he ultimately wants the UK show to build its own identity and style.
The comedy star said: "It has to be their show because I can tell you how I would do it — I’ve been doing it for 50 years, and it’s pretty well known how I would do it — [but] you have to do it your ways."
Last year, Pete Davidson - who shot to fame on Saturday Night Live - revealed that he couldn't wait to watch the UK version of the TV show, observing that it's likely to be "a little bit" different to its American counterpart.
Pete - who has enjoyed success as an actor and as a stand-up comedian - welcomed the idea of Saturday Night Live: UK.
He told Sky News: "It's a smart idea to have Saturday Night Live over there because it's not that it's a different brand of comedy, but it is a little bit. A lot of the biggest stuff that's in the States is stuff that we stole from you guys, like The Office or literally anything Ricky Gervais does.
"This is the first time I've ever heard anything American going to the UK, so I think it's great. I think it's great to have two opposite sorts of takes on things, but both be funny. That just shows you how broad comedy can be, you know?"
