Saturday Night Live has launched in the UK tonight after plenty of buzz.
Saturday Night Live has launched in the UK(Image: Courtesy of Sky)
Saturday Night Live has arrived in the UK after months of anticipation, with Tina Fey stepping in to host.
As SNL UK launched on Sky, viewers were all saying the same thing as they tuned in to watch the very first sketch, which poked fun at Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Comedy legend and SNL veteran Tina is the first host to introduce the show to audiences, while Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed have also been announced as future hosts.
The 75-minute episode features Wet Leg as the first musical guest, with Wolf Alice and Kasabian to follow in future episodes.
“I am so excited for you to meet your cast, they are wonderful,” Tina told the audience, before promising to “stay out of their way tonight as much as possible”.
Viewers were divided as opening skit played out, with many complaining about the amount of laughter coming from the crowd. Some even wondered if it was canned, but this is not the case, as the show is filmed in front of a live studio audience.
“Are they seriously doing canned laughter on SNLUK?” one person asked on X (Twitter), as another quizzed: “Surely that laughter isn’t real on Saturday Night Love UK?”
A third asked: “Hang on? Is this laughter canned? It surely can’t be. But the audience is being weirdly compliant.”
“The audience need to calm down a bit,” another person advised, while one more suggested it was a technical issue, adding: “The laugh track is leveled/mixed wrong and it’s annoying me… “
However, other fans shared their appreciation for the show, with one writing: “Was so critical about the idea of SNLUK. 2 minutes in and I’m cryin.”
“Unpopular opinion: Saturday Night Live UK will be considered a great success this time next year,” a second penned.
“Got to admit, I did get a bit giddy at ‘Live from London, it’s Saturday Night Live!'” another commented, as one more person enthused: “I’m loving the opening sequence.”
Saturday Night Live UK debuted tonight on Sky and streaming service Now at 10pm. It was originally scheduled for just six episodes but received an extension before launch, meaning it will now run every Saturday for the next eight weeks.
The entertainment show includes a blend of sketch comedy, stand-up and live music, much like its US counterpart.
The show also mirrors its American predecessor with an opening monologue and signature segments like the Weekend Update, presented by Colin Jost and Michael Che in the US.
Saturday Night Live, created by Lorne Michaels, is a TV institution in the United States and first started in 1975.
Tina Fey appeared on the sketch programme from 1997 to 2006, and based her hit comedy series 30 Rock on her experiences working on the show.
The UK line-up of comedians features several major names from the comedy circuit as well as some up-and-coming talent.
The ensemble cast includes Hammed Animashaun, Ania Magliano, Emma Sidi, Celeste Dring, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, George Fouracres, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, and Paddy Young.
Writers for the show include 8 Out of 10 Cats writer Charlie Skelton, Stath Lets Flats actor and comedian Al Roberts and Have I Got News For You’s Bella Hull.
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Lead producer James Longman said of the launch: “The UK is absolutely packed with incredible comedy talent right now and this cast represents the freshest voices we have, they’re bold, exciting and of course, incredibly funny.
“The chemistry between them is something special and we can’t wait to share this funny group of people with the world.”
Phil Edgar Jones, executive director of Unscripted Originals at Sky, said: “We all need a laugh like never before, so we’re beyond excited to bring Saturday Night Live to the UK, only 50 short years after it first launched in the US.
“The show’s long-standing legacy of discovering and nurturing outstanding comedy talent speaks for itself, and this UK version will build on that legacy with the support of Lorne Michaels, a brilliant local production team, and an exciting new generation of voices. Saturday nights are looking bright!”
Saturday Night Live UK is available to watch on Sky and Now TV on Saturdays at 10pm.