Exciting Hosts Announced for the Final Episodes of Saturday Night Live UK
Saturday Night Live UK is set to wrap up its first series with a lineup of exciting hosts. Hannah Waddingham and Ncuti Gatwa have been confirmed as the hosts for the final two episodes of the show. This marks a significant moment for the UK version of the iconic American sketch comedy series, which has been airing live from London every Saturday at 10pm on Sky and NOW.
Hannah Waddingham, a BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning actress, will take the stage next weekend. Known for her role in Ted Lasso, she is set to return for the fourth series of the show. She will be joined by singer-songwriter and BRIT Award winner Myles Smith for the penultimate episode. Waddingham’s performance will be followed by fellow BAFTA winner Ncuti Gatwa, who is also known for his roles in Doctor Who and Sex Education. Gatwa will appear on May 16 alongside indie-pop singer Holly Humberstone.
On May 2, actress Aimee Lou Wood will host the episode, accompanied by singer-songwriter and record producer MNEK. The show has already featured a range of notable guests, including Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Jack Whitehall, and Nicola Coughlan. Musicians such as Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Kasabian, Jorja Smith, and Foo Fighters have also taken the stage.
The cast of the UK show includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young.
Despite initial doubts about its survival, the show has garnered a strong following. Earlier this year, bookmakers predicted it had 1-2 odds of being scrapped before the first series even aired. Coral’s John Hill stated, “We are not optimistic about Saturday Night Live UK lasting very long. We make it odds-on to be scrapped after just one series.”
However, fans have been enthusiastic about the UK version, with many taking to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate its arrival. One fan wrote, “UK SNL? FINALLY.” Another commented, “I genuinely think SNL UK has the potential to actually be way better than the yank version,” while a third added, “Wait SNL UK sounds fire.”
Saturday Night Live, created by Lorne Michaels, is an American late-night sketch show that has been on air since 1975. It has produced over 1,000 episodes across 51 seasons in the US before Sky and NOW launched the UK version of the series.
Earlier this month, Saturday Night Live UK poked fun at Kanye West’s ban from the UK with a sketch featuring host Jack Whitehall. The rapper, known as Ye, had his visa application cancelled by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in early April. She banned him from entering Britain to perform at Wireless Festival in July, citing that his presence would ‘not be conducive to the public good.’
Sir Keir Starmer expressed his stance, saying Ye “should never have been invited to headline Wireless” and that he “stands firmly with the Jewish community” against anti-Semitism. Following the decision, the organizers of Wireless announced the cancellation of this year’s festival.
In response, producers of SNL UK quickly released a humorous video on social media promoting a new episode. In the clip, host Jack Whitehall was seen looking at a corkboard filled with cards tracking each week’s hosts and musical guests. He spotted Ye on the board as both the presenter and performer before removing both cards.
Saturday Night Live UK is available to stream live on Sky and streaming service NOW from 10pm on Saturday.
