The Middle Eastern pay-TV giant Orbit Showtime Network announced Monday that it would be launching an Arabic version of the hit American comedy show "Saturday Night Live" in January 2016.
The announcement was the highlight of a press conference the network held in Dubai to announce its new programming lineup for the 2016 season.
"Saturday Night Live Arabia" will be shot in Egypt and feature the Middle East's comedic talents, but it will follow the same format as the original program, according to OSN's executive vice-president of programming and creative services Khulud Abu Homos.
“We have been prepping for two years, training our creative team and writers. We did it by the book and hopefully we will ensure that this show will be a cornerstone for what it has been in other countries: the platform for launching new comedy talents,” Homos said .
While the new comedy show will follow SNL's original format, it will be remodeled to appropriately fit the Middle Eastern environment and society it will be broadcast in, as OSN's CEO David Butorac pointed out when the producers were asked about the famously controversial nature of SNL's content.
Despite the fact that there haven't yet been many details revealed about the cast or the lines the content of the show will follow, some are speculating that Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef will be involved with the new project as he is known to have ties with OSN and has participated in some of its 2016 lineup events this week.
In addition to SNL Arabia, OSN announced the launch of other localized programming including a spin-off of the hit Turkish series 'Harim El-Sultan' called 'Kosem Sultan' and the anticipated return of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' with George Kurdahi .
OSN also announced the launch of a talk show hosted by Iraqi-American women's rights advocate and writer Zainab Salbi in October called the ' Nidaa Show ' which will target Arab women.