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, who is 51 years old, has already made a name for herself in both British and international television.
Following her, Ncuti Gatwa, another BAFTA winner and star of Doctor Who and Sex Education, will host the final episode on May 16. He will be joined by indie-pop singer Holly Humberstone. This episode promises to be a memorable one, bringing together some of the most talented performers in the industry.
On May 2, actress Aimee Lou Wood will take over hosting duties. She will be accompanied by singer-songwriter and record producer MNEK. This week’s episode is expected to deliver a mix of comedy and music that fans have come to love.
So far, the series has 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, adding to the variety of performances.
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. Their contributions have helped shape the unique style of the UK version of the show.
Despite initial doubts, the show has found a loyal following. Earlier this year, bookmakers predicted it had 1-2 odds of being scrapped before the first series had 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 were thrilled by the arrival of the UK version of the show. On X, formerly Twitter, users celebrated its debut with messages like “UK SNL? FINALLY.” One user wrote, “I genuinely think SNL UK has the potential to actually be way better than the yank version,” while another added, “Wait SNL UK sounds fire.”
Saturday Night Live, created by Lorne Michaels, is an American late-night sketch show that has aired on US channel NBC since 1975. It has produced over 1,000 episodes across 51 seasons 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, 48, who goes by the name 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 on the grounds his presence would ‘not be conducive to the public good.’ Sir Keir Starmer insisted he ‘should never have been invited to headline Wireless’ and said he ‘stands firmly with the Jewish community’ against anti-Semitism.
Following the decision, the organisers of Wireless announced this year’s festival has now been cancelled. Poking fun at the situation, producers of SNL UK were quick to turnaround a humorous video on social media as they promoted a new episode.
In the clip, host Jack could be seen looking at a corkboard which was packed with cards to keep track of each week’s hosts and musical guest. The comedian, 37, spotted Ye on the board as both the presenter and performer before he quickly pulls both cards from the board.
Saturday Night Live UK is available to stream live on Sky and streaming service NOW from 10pm on Saturday.
