Photo: Sky
With two episodes left to air in its freshman run, Saturday Night Live UK‘s future is uncertain—at least to hear lead producer James Longman tell it.
The latest (and first English-language) international offshoot of NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series, SNL UK launched March 21 on Sky One and the streaming service Sky NOW. Across the pond, that first show drew 226,000 total viewers in the overnights, an audience that swelled to 784K with seven-day viewership and repeats folded in (Sky’s preferred metric).
But by the eight-episode series’ midway point, viewership had waned at least 36%, to 503K (in Live+7 with repeats, per Deadline).
And while SNL UK has unarguably entered the pop culture conversation and put up good numbers with its YouTube clips, it remains to be seen if its launch has fulfilled its mission of driving Sky NOW subscriptions. (Sky reps have declined to comment for LateNighter on its performance.)
Critically, SNL UK enjoyed a warm reception. LateNighter’s Bill Carter, for one, said the Tina Fey-hosted premiere “unquestionably stuck the landing,” helped along as it was by “a promising young cast of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish comic talent.” Amongst famously persnickety British press, The Telegraph opined in its four-star (out of five) review that SNL UK ‘s debut was “shockingly competent,” while Metro‘s four-star assessment called that first outing “unexpectedly brilliant.”
SNL UK currently has an 88% Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, based on the reviews of 16 critics.
All that said, lead producer Longman, in an April 29 interview with IndieWire (published today), let slip no insight into SNL UK renewal prospects. “Definitely not for sure,” he said. “But I stay away from these discussions, I’m just trying to make a funny show.”
Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) is hosting SNL UK‘s seventh episode this Saturday, May 9 (watch promo), with BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter Myles Smith as musical guest.
The following week, Rwandan and Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who, Sex Education) will close out SNL UK‘s first series, with indie-pop singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone as musical guest.
SNL UK airs live Saturdays at 10 p.m. GMT on Sky One, and streams next day Stateside on Peacock.