Saturday Night Live UK debuted on Sky last night, 50 years after its US counterpart first aired. The show, which features Tina Fey as guest host and Wet Leg as musical guest, has received a mixed but largely positive response from critics, despite initial scepticism about the venture.
Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye was unimpressed, calling the first episode a “laughter-free yawn” and criticising the cold open featuring Keir Starmer. However, other reviews were kinder. The Telegraph awarded 4/5 stars, praising Tina Fey and calling the spin-off “shockingly competent”. The Financial Times also saw promise, describing the debut as “inventive and sharp”.
The Guardian gave 3/5 stars, noting that while there were “god-awful performances”, the show’s ambition was refreshing. The Independent also awarded 3/5 stars, highlighting a “bang-on Princess Di impression” and noting that judging the show on its first episode would be foolish. Website Latenighter was largely impressed, saying the show “stuck the landing”.
The Times of London was less enthusiastic, stating “Britain is funny but this isn’t yet”, while some viewers on social media criticised the use of canned laughter. The show is expected to debut on Peacock in the US on Sunday evening, with Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed confirmed as hosts for episodes two and three.
