"The honest truth is, we honestly couldn't be f***ed working Friday," Pryor says. "Really... that was the real reason. I'm trying to make up a fake version."
The move is part of their continued efforts to be the "adult version of What Now", as Boyce puts it, as well as going for a Saturday Night Live vibe.
"We want to use more people this year, have a bigger ensemble," Boyce says. Their writing staff is made up of many of the country's best young comedians, and they hope to get them on screen more.
They also intend to make more use of Laura Daniel, who replaced Rose Matafeo as the female co-lead in 2015, as well as sending Guy Williams out to more small towns - though that isn't without its concerns.
"If we're worried about anyone going live, let's be honest, Guy Williams live on television sounds like the worst decision in television history," Pryor jokes.
Despite his tendency for the awkward, Williams does have a heart that doesn't often come across on screen.
"One Saturday we were filming in a park and he was chasing my son, and my son ran into a park bench," Pryor recalls.
"And that night, [Williams] didn't know where I lived because I'm never going to tell him my address, but he knew the vicinity and drove up and down streets trying to find our house.
"He recognised it from the pranks and came up and knocked on the door, and had a number of presents for [my son]. I thought 'what a good b*****d, now get the f*** out of my house'."
Though they may bicker and mock each other and the show on a weekly basis, the duo are fond of their creation and have no plans to slow down.
"We started off in TV3's garage. It started as late night sort of thing that no one cared about and it's gathered this cult following," Boyce says.
"We're so proud of this show and what it's become, and going live is the next step. It's exciting and also scary."
Jono and Ben returns to Three on Thursday 23
