SNL UK divides fans after it takes swipe at ex-Prince Andrew as two Irish stars make surprise cameos
Broadcasting live from London for the first time, it's Saturday Night Live UK, which split opinion amongst viewers. The programme, which has been a smash hit across America for more than five decades, has finally landed on British shores, with legendary comedian Tina Fey leading the charge for its debut broadcast.Tina is closely associated with the American version of SNL, having spent several years as head writer and cast member, and many were thrilled that she was spearheading the UK launch. In total, an impressive line-up of 11 comedians and celebrity hosts will front the programme, including Irish actor Jamie Dornan.In the run-up to the opening episode, Tina is reported to have been collaborating with the cast for several weeks and to have devoted considerable time to them, including reviewing their scripts. For the debut episode, the cast was accompanied by BRIT Award winners Wet Leg for a special performance.Opening the programme, viewers saw two stars at 10 Downing Street, with the Prime Minister making a mock telephone call to US President Donald J Trump, saying we couldn't join them in a war. Launching into her opening monologue, host Tina said: "Thank you very much, oh my Gosh I'm so excited to be here in London, it's an honour and historic – I'm the youngest person to ever host SNL UK."My name is Tina Fey, here in the UK you might know me as the teacher from Mean Girls, or you might remember a long time ago, when I played Sarah Palin on SNL US."Like so many large-scale American operations these days, no-one really knows why, it's a sketch comedy show," she said of why the show has launched in the UK, reports the Mirror.Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan questioned why Tina Fey, an American, was leading the UK launch, rather than a "British icon," such as Sir David Beckham, Dame Judi Dench... Or Shrek.Tina responded: "The way it was explained to me was for this first episode anyway, none of you f**kers would do it, does that make sense?"Graham Norton made a cameo and informed Tina that the studio is where he typically records his own chat show.During their conversation, Tina imitated several UK viral memes – including Zoe Lister's famous "Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday" phrase from the holiday company. During the Quick News segment, they discussed the ongoing controversy surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the installation of Sky TV at his new residence, Marsh Farm."Renovations to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s new home, Marsh Farm, have been taking place over the last month, including the installation of Sky TV. So, if you’re watching this Andrew, hello! You’re not gonna like this next bit," said comedian Ania Magliano during a savage Weekend Update segment.One sketch also featured the likes of Elizabeth I, Diana, Princess of Wales, Cilla Black, Winston Churchill and Freddie Mercury making an appearance for David Attenborough's Last Supper.However, as the UK edition premiered on Saturday night, viewers were split over the sketches featured in the show. "Twitter could be great tonight with SNL UK, fully expecting it to be horrific," one viewer predicted. "I need Pink to host and be the musical guest on SNL UK," another suggested."Very excited for SNL UK, we need funny shows," a third fan posted. A fourth enthusiast wrote: "Must be one of the very few who actually want SNL UK to be good. Lots seem to be ready for it to fail before it's even started #snluk."Another supporter defended SNL UK amidst the current TV line-up, stating: "Thank goodness for SNL UK, for at least providing something different." A sixth viewer admitted: "Okay...#SNL UK is actually quite good."As a fan of SNL for over 30 years, the UK show has been great so far. Live sketch comedy has a uniqueness that I love," another fan commented.Casualty actress and comedian Sammy T Dobson expressed her excitement on Instagram: "I am a huge SNL fan. Been wearing my jumper all day because I am very excited about SNL UK. Give it a chance, lads. You'd watch 6-hour-long episodes of a drama waiting for it to get good..." However, despite some positive anticipation, the launch episode didn't resonate well with everyone.One frustrated viewer typed: "We're 3 minutes in and I've given up on SNL UK already. Really poor. #snluk."5mins in watching SNL UK. Excruciating," fumed a second. Whilst a third added: "Is anyone watching SNL UK tonight? We're four minutes in and this is utter slop."#SNL UK is probably the worst TV show I've ever seen. And I've watched TOWIE," commented a fourth.Another penned: "UK version of Saturday Night Live (SNL). Just doesn't work. Seems woke already. Still waiting for comedy. The USA version was more no-holds-barred, superior." However, musical guest Wet Leg appeared to rescue the show for some. "Watching SNL UK just for the Wet Leg performances, honestly," commented one. A second added: "Wet Leg so awesome ppl at SNL UK should know they are Blessed to be in their presence."In the news segment, Keir Starmer is permitting Donald Trump to utilise UK airbases for American forces to conduct strikes on Iran. They also addressed the continuing conflict across the Middle East, as well as Britons left stranded in Dubai after airline British Airways confirmed all flights would be cancelled until the summer.Scripted, rehearsed and performed in the week preceding each episode, it's presented before a live studio audience and follows a format comprising an opening monologue, topical sketches, live music, and a British take on the satirical news segment, the Weekend Update.Lead producer James Longman stated: "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, expressed: "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!""Want to see more of the stories you love from the Irish Mirror? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Irish Mirror as a preferred source, simply click here.
