The 9 best British guest-star appearances on Saturday Night Live

by

Saturday Night Live is a long-running American comedy show – it’s been on the air for 50 years and has been instrumental in launching the careers of many of the biggest names in American comedy. Now, a UK version has just premiered on Sky.

A key part of the show’s tradition is having a different celebrity host each week. These hosts perform the opening monologue and participate in comedy sketches, frequently making jokes about themselves and their public image.

To mark the UK’s place in Saturday Night Live history, we’ve collected some of the most memorable performances by British stars on the American show.

1. Phoebe Waller Bridge

View full post on YouTube

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, known for her role in Fleabag, appeared in a remarkably genuine episode of Love Island, joking that the UK has “100% pure-grade trash just like us!” Her character introduces herself as being from Essex, adding, “My dad is a boxer and my mum is a pub.”

2. Charli XCX

View full post on YouTube

Instead of a charming first encounter, Charlie immediately clashes with each of the guys in the show, meeting them all by bumping into them on the stairs. From there, things quickly devolve into a series of increasingly rude and cutting remarks – very typical British behavior!

3. Gerard Butler

View full post on YouTube

This sketch features Kristen Wiig as Beauty and a Beast who’s confused about the story – he expects her to transform him. He bluntly says he was hoping for a kiss that would give him a larger physique. Plus, we get a short snippet of singing from Gerard Butler, who famously played the Phantom of the Opera in the film adaptation.

What to Read Next

4. Daniel Craig

View full post on YouTube

Daniel Day-Lewis, channeling James Bond, walks into a stylish casino and surprisingly starts winning. But he quickly loses his composure when the other gamblers – who seem much more genuine than typical Bond villains – egg him on to continue. In a flustered moment, he orders, “Waiter! A vodka martini—no, wait, a vodka Red Bull—in a pint glass!”

5. Benedict Cumberbatch

View full post on YouTube

The show features a recurring sketch where the women on the cast are all attracted to the celebrity guest. However, their co-star, Beck Bennett, is confused by this and hosts a game show called Why is Benedict Cumberbatch hot? In a surprising twist at the end, he finally understands the attraction.

6. Claire Foy

View full post on YouTube

It’s always a challenge when a guest actor doesn’t usually do comedy, but Claire Foy did a fantastic job in this sketch. It featured a World War I soldier writing detailed letters home to his wife, and the letters took a surprisingly funny turn.

7. James McAvoy

View full post on YouTube

Mr. Tumnus is surprised to learn he was a secret crush for many women growing up. He jokes that his appeal likely came from being strong but not intimidating – a ‘slightly muscular’ British gentleman.

8. Daniel Radcliffe

View full post on YouTube

It takes a truly adventurous spirit to pull off this role, and thankfully, Daniel Radcliffe has that in spades. He’s revisiting his iconic character, Harry Potter, ten years after leaving Hogwarts, now awkwardly trying to fit in with a new generation of students while clinging to his past fame – it’s a bit sad, but he commits fully to the part.

9. Harry Styles

View full post on YouTube

Harry recently starred as a high school football player who works at White Castle, and surprisingly, he’s pursued by a group of geeky admirers. It’s a charming story with a feel-good conclusion.

Saturday Night Live airs on Sky One on Saturdays at 10pm

The latest issue of Living Legends, a vibrant 100-page magazine dedicated to Harry Styles, is now available! You can find it at newsagents or purchase it online for only £8.99.

Read More

2026-03-25 20:21