After five decades of live comedy and a plethora of celebrity hosts, Saturday Night Live has made its way across the pond from New York to London - and the debut episode was stacked with star power. The UK's incarnation of the long-running NBC series is also created and produced by Lorne Michaels and aired on 21 March, with viewers divided over the premiere, which took aim at the disgraced Andrew-Mountbatten-Windsor and the ongoing Beckham family feud.
American comedian and Primetime Emmy Award winner Tina Fey hosted the inaugural episode with surprise appearances throughout the night, including from talk show star Graham Norton and Bridgerton's Regé-Jean Page. Viewers praised Tina as "fabulous" and an "inspired decision" to lead the debut on a video of her monologue posted to Sky's Instagram after the show. Meanwhile, other fans couldn't contain their excitement when Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan popped up on screen during the episode: "Absolutely wonderful surprise seeing our angel Nicola," one viewer gushed.
© Sky TV/ YouTubeAndrew and the Beckhams come under fire
Saturday Night Live UK kicked off its inaugural season with a political parody of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, played by cast member George Fouracres, trying to set boundaries with US President Donald Trump over the phone, followed by a dinner party sketch featuring "history’s greatest Britons", including the late Princess Diana, David Attenborough, and Winston Churchill.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe show then brutally took aim at Andrew-Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest and Brooklyn Beckham's ongoing feud with his family in a savage Weekend Update segment, featuring cast members Ania Magliano and Paddy Young. Harry Styles previously made a joke about the disgraced royal earlier in the month when he hosted the US version of Saturday Night Live.
"Renovations to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s new home, Marsh Farm, have been taking place over the last month, including the installation of Sky TV. So, if you’re watching this Andrew, hello! You’re not gonna like this next bit," comedian Ania mentioned the disgraced royal on the new show.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe comedians proceeded to talk about the royal's new residence and the ongoing police investigation in a joke that is too rude to repeat, before attention turned to the Beckhams. The segment made mention of Brooklyn's bombshell claim in his scathing January post that his mum Victoria had danced "inappropriately" on him at his April 2022 wedding to Nicola Peltz.
Viewers are divided
The first episode has received mixed reviews from fans, ranging from those who found it "brilliant" to others who were left unimpressed.
"Watched SNL UK this morning to see what it would be like. I really enjoyed it. I got quite a few laughs from me. Defo gonna be tuning in to the show," one pleased viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter), adding, "It's also nice seeing some new talent on a UK comedy show as well".
Another said the show is "actually very very funny", while one viewer granted that it "has great potential". "Brilliant launch show, it’s just what UK TV needs. Well done to the whole team," a happy viewer commented on the Sky Instagram page.
However, not everyone was a fan as it was dubbed "truly awful" by one viewer. "It wasn't that funny from start to finish," another reviewed the episode on X. "Maybe because I'm not used to the comedians? We just need good old British Comedy again," they added.
While another viewer granted that the show "had lots of really funny ideas", they said, "none were strong enough to carry a sketch, and the Weekend Update format of one-liners was the only one that worked."
What are the critics saying?
Saturday Night Live UK has received varied reviews, but is leaning positive with the critics. The Telegraph said the UK version was a "shockingly competent spin-off" and "occasionally hilarious" in a four-star review.
The Guardian gave the show three stars. "The general feeling, I think, will be that the inaugural episode of Saturday Night Live UK...did work," the publication wrote, adding later on that the episode "could have been a lot, lot worse. And it could have been a lot better."
Meanwhile, Variety questioned who the show's target audience was. "The set looks American, the pacing of some of the sketches feel American, and the fact it lasted nearly 75 minutes (when British audiences usually love their comedy no longer than 60 cos we’re tired) feels awfully American."
