It’s an unusual feeling stepping into the Saturday Night Live UK studio. The atmosphere is, in fact, quite the opposite of what I had envisioned.
The first person I see is a cheerful Nick Grimshaw and his fiancé Mesh, both visibly excited to be there as if they’ve won a competition. Then, casually moving around, are Al Nash, Larry Dean, and Paddy Young. I can’t spot any sign of nerves or anxiety among them, which makes sense when I recall that they’re riding high on the success of three exceptionally well-received episodes, featuring Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, and Riz Ahmed, who make even the most challenging job on television look effortless.
Tonight, it’s Jack Whitehall’s turn – a man who, if SNL UK had launched 15 years ago, could have easily become a full-time cast member. Perhaps they’ve never been in safer hands since SNL veteran Fey showed them the ropes.
In less than a month since its launch, SNL UK already feels like a well-established show, confident and deserving of all the praise it has received – even being called “the best thing for British comedy since The Office” by Nick Mohammed.
But four weeks ago, the 10 comedians leading SNL UK were relatively inexperienced in television, let alone live television. I’ve watched many TV shows being filmed, and rarely have I seen a cast so composed and unfazed by the possibility of failure.
The strength of Saturday Night Live so far has been its ability to create sketches from scratch in just a few days, adapting as new material becomes available in the days leading up to each episode. The hope is that every viewer will enjoy at least one sketch, if not all. If a viewer enjoys every single sketch, they haven’t done their job right – they’re catering to one person’s sense of humor, and that’s not good enough.
Whitehall’s monologue was perhaps the strongest so far, which was predictable given he’s the first immensely successful stand-up comedian the show has welcomed as a host since launching. For the first time, a monologue became a highlight of the episode – a predictable but no less funny rant about the pressure of planning his wedding next weekend, including a sharp joke about replacing Scott Mills as their DJ.
Emma Sidi (who deserves far more recognition) opened the show with a Melania Trump impersonation that could rival Jack Shep’s Princess Diana, reassuring a group of BBQ-goers in Croydon that she isn’t friends with Jeffrey Epstein – who, until her speech this week, had barely been mentioned.
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Other standout moments that deserve a place in the SNL UK Hall of Fame included Whitehall’s drunk Peter Pan; Shep’s 1930s, cocaine-addicted drag queen; and the footballers squabbling over which child mascot they’d march onto the pitch with. The pre-recorded DadSwap sketch was a strong contender to knock Fey’s Undérage off its spot as the best of the series so far.
But the highlight of being in the audience of Saturday Night Live UK is watching such a slick operation, dependent on remarkable precision, move so seamlessly. I have barely stopped talking about how impressive SNL UK has been, but it’s an unbelievable feat of television to witness it happen before your eyes.
In one moderately sized studio space, sets are built and taken down in minutes. I took my eye off the stage for less than five minutes to watch one sketch, and suddenly an entire Mastermind studio had been built to my right without me even noticing.
Entire worlds are created for just five minutes of glory, with sketches being written, rewritten, or even scrapped right up until the final hour before going live. Costumes are made to order, often with just hours’ notice; sets the size of an average living room are masterfully designed, altered, and made TV-ready at lightning speed.
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Watching Saturday Night Live UK live is, quite simply, some of the most fun you’ll ever have at a TV recording. The whole experience feels like a party thrown specifically for the audience in the room.
Before the cameras start rolling, Annabel Marlow and Ayoade Bamgboye serenade the crowd with a genuinely impressive duet of Valerie, and during ad breaks, the show’s live band keeps the audience energised, playing dancefloor bangers with an incredible vocalist. I want their mash-up of garage bangers for the wedding I may never have.
If I thought Saturday Night Live UK was a triumph before, I think it’s one of the most impressive television experiences of my lifetime now. It’s an essential pilgrimage for any fan of the show.
I have endured many a disappointing TV set experience, but this is easily the best there is.
Saturday Night Live returns to Sky One on April 25 at 9pm and is available to stream on NOW.
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