Trending Now - SNL UK Debuts With Controversial Jokes and Surprise Guests
WHO:
Future guest hosts include Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed.
Tina Fey, host of "Saturday Night Live UK"
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Lorne Michaels, executive producer of "Saturday Night Live UK"
Guest audience members: Michael Cera, Graham Norton, Nicola Coughlan
Cast members: Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, Paddy Young
Musical guest: Wet Leg
WHAT:
The first episode of "Saturday Night Live UK" aired for 75 minutes.
The episode included a skit where Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought help from a Gen Z adviser about how to communicate with President Trump.
The episode featured a "Weekend Update" segment anchored by Ania Magliano and Paddy Young.
The show included jokes about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the war in Iran, and the Beckham family drama.
The first episode of "Saturday Night Live UK" had 226,000 viewers, achieving a 3.2% share of the TV audience.
The debut episode beat Channel 4's "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation," which had 215,000 viewers.
The best performing show at 10 p.m. was BBC News on BBC One, watched by nearly 2 million viewers.
Clips from the show, including Fey’s monologue, garnered over half a million views on YouTube by noon on March 22, 2026.
The first episode's sketches included a memorable portrayal of Princess Diana by Jack Shep.
The first episode of "Saturday Night Live UK" received largely positive reviews, with The Telegraph describing it as “shockingly competent” and “occasionally hilarious.”
The show featured a skit where Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought advice from a Gen Z adviser on how to communicate with President Trump.
The episode included edgy humor, with jokes about pedophiles, the Epstein files, and disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The episode's sketches included “a handful of hits,” according to Nick Hilton in The Independent, but also moments that felt like “tepid cosplay” of the U.S. original.
Social media clips from the show, including Fey’s monologue, garnered significant views, with one X/Twitter post featuring the cold open reaching over a million views.
"Saturday Night Live UK" debuted on March 21, 2026
The show aired on Sky One and the NOW streaming service
The first episode had 226,000 viewers, achieving a 3.2% share of the TV audience
The show is set to have an initial run of eight episodes
The U.S. version of "Saturday Night Live" premiered its 51st season with 6,800 viewers on October 5, 2025
The previous week's episode of the U.S. version had 4,550 viewers
WHERE:
The show is based in London, United Kingdom
Aired on Sky One, a pay TV channel in the UK
WHEN:
"Saturday Night Live UK" debuted on March 21, 2026, at 10 p.m. on Sky One.
U.S. viewers can stream the premiere on Peacock on March 22, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The first episode aired on March 21, 2026, at 10 p.m. on Sky One.
"Saturday Night Live UK" premiered on March 21, 2026
U.S. viewers can stream the premiere on March 22, 2026
WHY:
The show aims to replicate the success of the original "Saturday Night Live" which has been a pop-culture institution since its debut in 1975
HOW:
The show is produced by Sky Studios and overseen by executive producer Lorne Michaels, who is also the executive producer of the U.S. version.
The show is produced by Sky Studios and overseen by executive producer Lorne Michaels.
The show is produced by Lorne Michaels, who is also the executive producer of the U.S. version.
The format of "Saturday Night Live UK" closely follows the U.S. original, featuring topical comedy, sketches, fake commercials, and a "Weekend Update" segment
British broadcasting rules allowed for a liberal use of expletives in the show
(UPDATED March 23, 2026 13:29 UTC)
Today marks the debut of "Saturday Night Live UK," which aired its first episode for a lively 75 minutes, featuring a skit where Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought advice from a Gen Z adviser on how to communicate with Trump. The episode also included a "Weekend Update" segment anchored by Ania Magliano and Paddy Young, along with jokes touching on topics like Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the ongoing war in Iran, and the Beckham family drama. Produced by Sky Studios and overseen by executive producer Lorne Michaels, who is also behind the U.S. version, the show aims to bring a fresh comedic perspective to British audiences.
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(UPDATED March 23, 2026 09:19 UTC)
"Saturday Night Live UK" made its debut on March 21, 2026, at 10 p.m. on Sky One, attracting 226,000 viewers and outperforming Channel 4's "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation." The episode featured sketches including a notable portrayal of Princess Diana by Jack Shep, and clips, such as Fey’s monologue, quickly gained over half a million views on YouTube by noon on March 22. Future guest hosts for the show will include Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed, with U.S. viewers able to stream the premiere on Peacock starting March 22 at 9 p.m. ET.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 23:15 UTC)
The first episode of "Saturday Night Live UK," which aired last Monday at 10 p.m. on Sky One, received largely positive reviews, with The Telegraph calling it “shockingly competent” and “occasionally hilarious.” The show featured a skit where Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought advice from a Gen Z adviser on how to communicate with Trump, and it included edgy humor with jokes about pedophiles and the Epstein files. Social media clips from the episode, including Fey’s monologue, gained significant traction, with one post featuring the cold open reaching over a million views.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 17:14 UTC)
"Saturday Night Live UK" made its debut on March 21, 2026, airing on Sky One and the NOW streaming service, and it attracted 226,000 viewers for its first episode, capturing a 3.2% share of the TV audience. Hosted by Tina Fey, with musical guest Wet Leg, the show features a cast that includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, and Emma Sidi, and it aims to replicate the success of its American counterpart, which has been a pop-culture staple since 1975. U.S. viewers can catch the premiere starting today, March 22, 2026, as the show follows a similar format to the original, complete with topical comedy and sketches.