Full Breakdown
SNL UK: First Season Review and Renewal
5/18/2026, 12:01:50 PM
Launch and Reception
Saturday Night Live UK debuted on Sky One for an eight-week run. Guest hosts included Hannah Waddingham, Jamie Dornan, Aimee Lou Wood and, in the finale, Ncuti Gatwa. Critics and audiences generally found the sketches funny, though they noted uneven quality.
Production and Talent
The eleven-person cast—including Annabel Marlow, Ayoade Bamgboye, Hammed Animashaun and George Fouracres—collaborated with writers Charlie Skelton, Louis Waymouth and Bella Hull, with consultant Jamie Demetriou.
Viewership and Online Reach
Overnight figures ranged from 226,000 viewers for the Tina Fey opening to a low of 86,420 for the Ncuti Gatwa finale, while the Eurovision Song Contest on BBC One drew 5.2 million. Sky reports total audience triples after catch-up, and Deadline recorded 86 million social-media views in the first month.
Official Statements & Responses
Sky’s unscripted head Phil Edgar Jones said the network is “thrilled” with the reception. Executive producer Lorne Michaels described himself as “incredibly proud” and noted the show “keeps getting better every week.” The series has been renewed for a second twelve-episode season, slated for autumn 2026–early 2027.
Critical Reception and Fan Feedback
TV critic Natalie Jamieson praised the willingness to be “really unhinged” and said the “virality is comparable to its US counterpart,” adding the show “fills a void of live British comedy at weekends.” She praised the political cold-open and Weekend Update but found the guest-host monologues weak, noting a lack of British monologue tradition. Fan Olivia Goldsbury (19) observed that “the cast and writers are so experienced in comedy,” while Cal Clayton (20) described the sketches as “hit-or-miss territory.”
Impact on British Comedy
The series shows demand for live-format sketch comedy on Saturday nights, complementing panel-show formats and expanding the genre’s digital footprint.
Conflicting Ratings and Gaps
Overnight data show a low of 86,420 viewers for the finale, yet Sky’s claim of audience tripling after on-demand viewing lacks publicly disclosed verification. Full-episode uploads remain unavailable on free platforms, limiting assessment of digital reach.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My favourite moments of the first season of SNL UK have been when it's been allowed to be really unhinged,” — Natalie Jamieson, TV critic
- “Jamieson says the virality is "comparable" to its US counterpart, adding that the show is "filling a void" of live British comedy at weekends.” — Natalie Jamieson, TV critic
- “You can tell the cast and writers are so experienced in comedy,” — Olivia Goldsbury, fan (19)
- “Jamieson agrees, noting that the two hosts of the news segment "work really well" together.” — Natalie Jamieson, TV critic
What’s Next
The second series will include twelve episodes and new guest hosts, with potential appearances by Jodie Comer and Leo Woodall. Production aims to balance live and pre-taped sketches while retaining the topical edge that defined the inaugural season.
