Live from London, it's SNL UK? The British adaptation of the iconic American sketch show premiered on Sky One on March 21, drawing 226,000 viewers. The debut, hosted by Tina Fey, sparked a wave of mixed reviews—praising its ambition and darker edge, while questioning its identity.
Viewership and Ratings
The 75-minute premiere of Saturday Night Live UK aired at 10 PM on Sky One, attracting 226,000 viewers. This figure gave it a 3.2% share of the available television audience, beating Channel 4’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, which drew 215,000 viewers in the same time slot. BBC One’s BBC News at 10 led the hour with nearly 2 million viewers and a 25% share.
The debut massively outperformed the U.S. version of SNL on Sky Comedy, whose Season 51 premiere had only 6,800 viewers. It also beat the 60,000 viewers for the final season premiere of Sky’s A League of Their Own (though that series peaked at 600,000 viewers in its first season).
Sky, however, does not rely solely on overnight ratings. The broadcaster prefers metrics that include repeat broadcasts, catch-up viewing, and streaming on its NOW service. A single sketch from the premiere generated over one million views online, and Tina Fey’s monologue accumulated over 730,000 views on YouTube by the following Sunday.
Show Format and Content
The premiere adhered closely to the U.S. format, featuring sketch comedy, a rotating guest host, a Weekend Update news parody, mock commercials, and a musical performance by the English band Wet Leg.
The cold open satirized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he sought communication advice from a Gen Z consultant regarding President Donald Trump. It concluded with the line: “Live from London, it’s Saturday night!” President Trump later shared the sketch on his Truth Social platform without comment.
Tina Fey’s opening monologue included impressions of British television shows and interaction with celebrity audience members Michael Cera, Graham Norton, and Nicola Coughlan. The show pushed boundaries with mildly explicit content, including references to pedophilia, the Epstein files, and Prince Andrew. A notable distinction from the U.S. version was the allowance of more expletives, consistent with British broadcasting regulations.
The episode also featured distinct interstitial music between scenes and omitted the host images that typically introduce sketches in the American version.
Cast and Guests
The largely unknown cast included George Fouracres, Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young.
Several cast members earned individual praise: George Fouracres for impressions of Keir Starmer and David Attenborough; Jack Shep for a Princess Diana impression; Hammed Animashaun for potential recurring characters; Emma Sidi for a “bra concierge” character; and Celeste Dring for quirky line readings. Ania Magliano and Paddy Young co-anchored the Weekend Update segment.
The initial broadcast schedule consists of eight episodes. Future guest hosts were announced as Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed.
Reception
Critical responses were generally described as mixed.
Scott Bryan (Variety) noted the core elements of the U.S. version were maintained, describing the sketches as “darker and more surreal” with “more deadpan” comedy.
Nick Hilton (The Independent) awarded three out of five stars, acknowledging “some hits, some misses” and an effective Princess Diana impression. He praised the show’s willingness to “push the envelope” but noted some sketches felt like “tepid cosplay” of the American original.
Lucy Mangan (The Guardian) gave three stars, stating the episode “did work.” She found the attempt to retool a U.S. brand for a UK audience refreshing.
Charlotte Ivers (The Times of London) appreciated the edgier humor but noted that in many instances “the jokes did not match the associated risk.” She concluded, “the spark is not there yet.”
The Telegraph described the show as “shockingly competent” and “occasionally hilarious.”
Some critics noted that Tina Fey’s significant presence in many sketches limited opportunities for the new cast to establish themselves. Critiques of the show’s identity suggested the set, pacing, and extended 75-minute runtime felt distinctly American. Several reviewers expressed that the show could find success by embracing a more inherently British and surreal comedic style.
Background
Since its 1975 debut, Saturday Night Live has become a significant cultural institution in the United States. Previous international adaptations in France, Japan, and Italy have typically been short-lived, though a South Korean version continues to air.
Saturday Night Live UK is executive produced by SNL creator Lorne Michaels. It is broadcast on Sky One and available via the NOW streaming service in the UK. Episodes are also available for viewing on Peacock in the United States.
Subsequent Episode (Week 2)
The second episode was hosted by Jamie Dornan, whose introduction featured jokes and an appearance by Chris O’Dowd.
The cold open centered on Prince Andrew, portrayed by Jack Shep, in a meeting with MI5 agents. The sketch depicted a 29-year plan to enhance the public image of Prince Charles and included references to Jeffrey Epstein and Peter Mandelson. The agents provided Prince Andrew with the code word “Pizza Express Woking,” a direct reference to an alibi associated with Prince Andrew’s BBC Newsnight interview.