Saturday Night Live UK
Review of the much-anticipated first episode
Whisper it, but I think they might just have nailed it...
For most of its 51-year history, the original Saturday Night Live has been condemned as ‘not as good as it used to be’ – a charge levelled at every long-running show from Spitting Image to Have I Got News For You here.
Yet it still pulls decent viewing figures, and held in some affection by the US audience. First, because it was once genuinely revolutionary, the first real attempt to tap into the vibrant counterculture of 1970s urban America – and because over more than 1,000 episodes it has become part of the cultural landscape, with what goes on both inside and outside NBC’s Studio 8H.
And despite the inescapable reality that every week brings sketches of varying quality, the show’s vast machinery is occasionally capable of pure genius. The Weekend Update section remains the sharpest topical comedy on American TV, and big-name bookings and the live broadcast add frisson and excitement
The UK remake does not come with the luxury of such pedigree. It’s been greeted with either feverish excitement that it could instantly become as successful as its parent, reviving British sketch comedy at a stroke, or aggressive pessimism that it’ll be shit – an unwelcome transatlantic invasion that couldn’t possibly work with our more cynical sense of humour.
Neither is absolutely true but tonight’s episode, a very strong opener, offers great hope it's the former. There’s plenty to like from the very first utterance of: ’Live from London, it's Saturday Night’ – genuinely exciting for anyone au fait with the original, and especially knowing the British talent the producers have assembled.
In the 'cold open’ that preceded it – traditionally a topical political skit – George Fouracres played dithering Keir Starmer trying to avoid being dragged into Donald Trump’s war and asking Hammed Animashaun’s David Lammy: ‘How did Liz Truss make this job look so easy?’ Fairly predictable but enough of a sense of fun to make it very watchable.
With host Tina Fey acting as a link between the original – where she was head writer, Weekend Update anchor and Sarah Palin impersonator – we were in safe hands with the opening monologue setting the ground rules as she boasted, tongue-in-cheek that she is the youngest person ever to have done the job in the UK.
Her opening comments pre-empted some of the complaints the show might face, starting with the big one: Why do a British version of Saturday Night Live? The answer: 'Like so many large scale US operations these days, no one really knows?’ And showing off her knowledge of British comedy to ingratiate herself.
Surprise guests including Nicola Coughlan, Michael Cera, Regé-Jean Page and Graham Norton sprinkled extra stardust on the programme, making this premiere seem even more noteworthy.
The show – a genuine Britishification of the NBC original, taking the best of both worlds – contained some genuinely funny sketches: the ‘logical’ conclusion of anti-ageing creams, a movie-star junket interview with some unwelcome home truths, while a maternity ward sketch brought some absurdity. That they can swear here – away from the constraints of American networks – adds to the naughtiness. It seems darker, and more vicious too.
A slightly edgy gag about David Attenborough’s age set up an early ensemble sketch featuring an embarrassment of British icons, including Jack Shep as a hilarious Princess Di, showing the breadth of talent on screen. A later Shakespeare skit – possibly inspired by Hamnet and owing a slight nod to Upstart Crow before going properly off the rails – kept the UK touchstones coming. That all this happened live and with proper sets and costumes, à la original, adds to the feeling this programme is something special.
Weekend Update with a besuited Paddy Young and Ania Magliano was a little more stilted than the long-established chemistry between Colin Jost and Michael Che in the original – but contained some fine lines, including some savage jibes at Dubai influencers caught in the war crossfire and a brilliant rug-pull about helium supplies – all delivered with a twinkle in the eye, Young's especially. And Captain Birdseye made it winningly weird.
That the cast – also including the likes of of Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, and Emma Sidi – are not yet widely known to the British public is an asset, feeling like something genuinely fresh compared to the familiar faces who do the panel show circuit. Maybe in time we’ll see the likes of Jimmy Carr, Katherine Ryan or Romesh Ranganathan hosting – but for now it's best we don’t. Norton would be a good call, mind.
And just towards the end we got a glimpse of Sidi’s peculiar comedy, a bra-fitting sketch designed to show her specific talents, and Fouracres being insane – and partially Irish – for 45 minues.
Even though some will have made up their mind about SNL before the 'cold open’ sketch was finished, the truth is that its success of Saturday Night Live will really be determined in the long haul. Not on this first episode – as impressively strong as it was – nor even on all eight in the series.
The dream is that this iteration becomes as much as an institution as the original – a constant witty, entertaining presence in the schedule, occasionally brilliant, and a conduit for the deep, untapped reservoirs of British comedy talent to go on to greater things.
• Saturday Night Live continues on Sky One at 10pm on Saturdays and streams on Now.
Review date: 21 Mar 2026
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
