With Tina Fey as first host, ‘SNL UK’ kicked off with familiar skits and very British humor

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As a long-time fan, I’m really excited to see “Saturday Night Live” expand to the UK! After 50 years of being such a New York institution, London just feels like the natural place to try this out. It’s a vibrant, media-focused city packed with funny people – honestly, it makes so much sense. While I wouldn’t rule out other countries eventually, the UK feels like the only place that could really capture the same energy as the original. Plus, let’s be real, we’ve been taking comedy inspiration from the British for ages, so it’s great to finally see a proper exchange happening. Maybe an Italian version will surprise me someday, but for now, the UK feels right.

The new show launched in the U.K. on Sky One and NOW this past Saturday. It became available to stream in the U.S. on Sunday via Peacock, with Tina Fey kicking things off as the very first guest host. She joked to the audience, “I’m incredibly honored, and this is actually a historic moment! I’m the youngest person ever to host ‘SNL UK!’”

Having been a performer, writer, and head writer on “Saturday Night Live,” as well as the co-creator of the show “30 Rock” (which cleverly satirized the world of sketch comedy within the same building), she was the perfect choice to represent the show. Lorne Michaels almost certainly keeps her number handy.

The first episode of “SNL UK” felt a lot like the original “Saturday Night Live” – a mix of hits and misses, but rarely anything truly bad. While a few sketches went on too long or didn’t have strong endings, the show was saved by its energetic, 11-person cast, many of whom are already familiar faces to British audiences. Several cast members have experience in stand-up, stage acting (including Shakespeare!), and television/film. Tina Fey, the show’s creator, kept her promise to give the cast space to shine, but also enthusiastically participated in almost every sketch.

The show began as usual with a cold open sketch. This one featured George Fouracres as Prime Minister Keir Starmer, nervously explaining to a Donald Trump character that the UK wouldn’t be sending any more ships to the Strait of Hormuz. Starmer jokingly portrayed Trump as a demanding ex-boyfriend, acknowledging his desire for conflict but refusing to participate. Hammed Animashaun and Jack Shep joined Fouracres in the sketch and enthusiastically announced the show’s opening, and the three of them continued to be prominent throughout the episode.

I absolutely loved the opening! Seeing the cast just living their lives around the city was a fun way to start the show. Then came a hilarious monologue, and I was so excited to see Nicola Coughlan, Michael Cera, and Graham Norton make cameos! The whole set felt classic, like those American versions we all know and love, right down to the clock and the live band. There were some great film clips and sketches mixed in, and Wet Leg were amazing – so cool and a little bit edgy. Of course, “Weekend Update” killed as always, followed by more brilliant skits and another performance from Wet Leg. The night just kept delivering laughs! And to top it all off, the entire cast came out at the end, looking like they were ready to celebrate – it was the perfect ending!

The show featured a series of bizarre and hilarious sketches. One involved a Shakespeare character (played again by Fouracres) returning home to Stratford, gradually adopting more and more modern accessories – starting with an earring and ending with an electric scooter, sunglasses, and even ketamine. Another sketch parodied immersive experiences, specifically a Paddington Bear event that took a surprisingly dark turn, reminiscent of a classic Dan Aykroyd comedy bit. Emma Sidi stood out as a particularly funny bra salesperson, even more so than the sketch itself (which also included a cameo by Regé-Jean Page of “Bridgerton”). A standout segment used technology similar to “Jurassic Park” to recreate a “last supper” with famous deceased Britons – Winston Churchill, Isaac Newton, Agatha Christie (played by Fey), Freddie Mercury, Queen Elizabeth I, and Princess Diana (as portrayed by Shep) – all hosted by David Attenborough (again, Fouracres). However, instead of profound conversation, they spent the entire time debating how many appetizers to order. The sketch cleverly brought the entire cast and guest host together on stage.

The short film segments were excellent. Because the presentation wasn’t live, the creators could take risks with their humor. One ad featured a cream promising to make you look so young, people would assume your husband was a convicted sex offender. A satisfied customer cheerfully claimed her rejuvenated appearance led to her husband being targeted by vigilante groups who hunt suspected pedophiles, resulting in the loss of his music contract and some of his fanbase. Another segment depicted a team working to deliberately worsen the quality of the internet.

As a comedy critic, I’ve always noticed a distinct difference in humor between British and American shows. Think about “The Office” or “Ghosts” – the UK versions often lean into darker, more absurd territory. There was even a “Weekend Update” joke referencing Prince Andrew’s estate, Marsh Fair, with a pretty grim punchline! Despite that difference – and the old saying about Britain and America being two countries divided by a common language – I was impressed by how easily this particular show translated for an American audience. Honestly, aside from a few local jokes, the occasional unfamiliar British word (which was usually clear from the context), and a bit more swearing, an American cast could have performed it with minimal changes. It really speaks to the universality of the writing.

The Prime Minister of Fouracres stated at the end of the opening scene that even though they don’t always see eye-to-eye with the United States, they can still be respectful and appreciate American culture, which they described as positive and without issues. A playful response of agreement followed.

The show’s first season will now have eight episodes, up from the initial six. (Riz Ahmed and Jamie Dornan are set to host.) It makes you wonder why they didn’t make ten!

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2026-03-23 22:01