Kiwi comedian picked to write for new Saturday Night Live UK
Joseph Moore wrote five fake sketches then waited. He's been keeping his new gig a secret but the cat is finally out of the bag.
Kiwi comedian Joseph Moore has been picked to work on the new UK version of hugely successful American late-night live sketch comedy, Saturday Night Live.
The Wellington-born writer will join the London-based team - one of 20 people picked ahead of the show's 21 March launch.
“I found out about November last year, and it's kind of all been very secretive until now," Moore told RNZ's Morning Report, the morning after the news was officially out.
The full writing team for the upcoming Sky Original series Saturday Night Live UK, launching 21 March.
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"... Being thrust into this giant machine with rules and history and just a huge infrastructure ... I've kind of been navigating my way around that for the last couple of months, but now it's all out in the open."
Writer director Moore is known for his work locally on Funny Girls, Jono & Ben, Taskmaster NZ / Australia and Guy-Mont Spelling Bee. He performs in musical-comedy duo Two Hearts with his writing partner, Laura Daniel, whom he married in 2022.
Moore and Daniel moved to London 18 months ago looking for new opportunities, he says.
“Not long after we moved, the word came out that they were making a UK version of Saturday Night Live.”
He put together a package, then waited.
“You basically have to write five fake sketches just for an imaginary version of the show. And you put those out into the ether, and then you wait about seven months.”
He got the nod and is now in rehearsals for the show, which he says will follow the format of the American original but differ in tone.
“Perhaps less bravado, a bit more sarcasm, some darkness.”
The British spin-off will follow the original format with a celebrity opening monologue, live music and topical sketches.
SNL show creator Lorne Michaels will produce the British version of the show which has launched the careers of big names include Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Julia Louis Dreyfus and Tina Fey.
