When Saturday Night Live crossed the Atlantic, it had to decide which of its beloved traditions would survive the journey. The American show's format is a well-oiled machine, but not every element translates perfectly. At the Edinburgh TV Festival 2026, SNL UK director Liz Clare and cast member Emma Sidi revealed two key differences: the famous crane shot and the end-of-show credits.
Clare made a practical call to ditch the crane, a staple of the U.S. production that has become almost as iconic as the show itself. "The camera setup is probably pretty standard. In fact, it's based on the American show, bar the fact that we don't use the Americans have got this big old bit of kit, big crane that's become a feature of the show," she explained. "We decided not to employ that camera because it takes up an awful lot of space."
Instead, the British version uses a jib and other compact equipment, allowing for the rapid set changes and the in-the-round staging that defines the show. Clare emphasized that the goal is to capture the energy of live performance, not to replicate the American visual style. "It's really just about making sure that what is interesting about the show is that it's played in the round in a way that then helps all of those resets," she said.
That flexibility paid off in Season 1, Episode 2, when host Jamie Dornan played a criminal recording a hostage video. To make it look authentic, the crew used a live digicam feed, a creative solution that wouldn't have been possible with a bulky crane. "We knew that we needed some kind of camera that he could look like he was recording a sort of hostage video," Clare recalled. "So we actually got a live really lovely sort of digicam that was a live picture, live feed that we were able to take out of the camera and put in and used to make it look as authentic as possible."
While the crane was an easy cut, the end credits proved trickier. In the American version, the cast gathers around the host for hugs and goodbyes—a tradition that Sidi initially found cringe-worthy. "That's something with the American show... the ending, the goodbyes bit. I would just see it and go, 'This is just so naff. I can't bear to see this,'" she admitted. From a viewer's perspective, it can feel overly sentimental, especially after an hour of sharp comedy.
But once Sidi experienced the grueling week of rehearsals and live performance, her opinion changed. "And when we're doing it now, I get it because we have done the heist during the week, you know?... So we're hugging and crying... fuck it, we're luvvies now," she joked. "You are just like, thank god we did it. It's so real that hugging at the end."
The decision to keep the credits—despite the initial embarrassment—shows that some traditions are worth preserving, even if they feel awkward at first. As streaming classics continue to dominate, SNL UK is carving its own path while honoring the spirit of the original. For fans of the show, the end credits are now a moment of genuine relief and camaraderie, not just a formality.
SNL UK's approach to adaptation is a lesson in balancing practicality with tradition. By dropping the crane and embracing the credits, the show has found its own identity—one that respects the past while looking forward. As the series continues, it will be interesting to see which other American elements get the same treatment. For now, the cast is just happy to have made it through the week, and they're not afraid to show it.
