![\"SNL](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/snl-uk-season-2-renewal-status.jpg\")
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\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Sky\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
With two episodes left to air in its freshman run, Saturday Night Live UK<\/a>\u2018s future is uncertain\u2014at least to hear lead producer James Longman<\/a> tell it. <\/p>\n The latest (and first English-language) international offshoot of NBC\u2019s 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\u2019s preferred metric). <\/p>\n But by the eight-episode series\u2019 midway point, viewership had waned at least 36%, to 503K (in Live+7 with repeats, per Deadline<\/a>).<\/p>\n 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.) <\/p>\n Critically, SNL UK enjoyed a warm reception. LateNighter\u2019s Bill Carter, for one, said the Tina Fey-hosted premiere \u201cunquestionably stuck the landing<\/a>,\u201d helped along as it was by \u201ca promising young cast of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish comic talent.\u201d Amongst famously persnickety British press, The Telegraph<\/a>\u00a0opined in its four-star (out of five) review that SNL UK \u2018s debut was \u201cshockingly competent<\/a>,\u201d while\u00a0Metro<\/a>\u2018s four-star assessment called that first outing \u201cunexpectedly brilliant<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n SNL UK currently has an 88% Fresh rating<\/a> at Rotten Tomatoes, based on the reviews of 16 critics.<\/p>\n All that said, lead producer Longman, in an April 29 interview with IndieWire<\/a> (published today), let slip no insight into SNL UK renewal prospects. \u201cDefinitely not for sure,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I stay away from these discussions, I\u2019m just trying to make a funny show.\u201d<\/p>\n Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) is hosting SNL UK\u2018s seventh episode this Saturday, May 9 (watch promo<\/a>), with BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter\u00a0Myles Smith as musical guest.<\/p>\n