‘SNL UK’ Series 2: All the Hosts and Musical Guests
The second series of Saturday Night Live UK has its first three episodes locked. Jeff Goldblum and CMAT open the run on Saturday, Sept. 9. Jamie Demetriou and Royal Blood follow on Sept. 19. Amelia Dimoldenberg and Rachel Chinouriri close out the announced slate on Sept. 26.
The show returns after a first series that drew notice. SNL UK aired from March onwards earlier this year. The Hollywood Reporter’s review of the first episode said: “Good cast, spotty writing — like the mothership.” That opening show, hosted by Tina Fey, was watched by over 220,000 people in Britain.
The First Series Cast and Its Standouts
The series regulars were largely unknown stand-up comedians and social media stars. The group included Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep and Emma Sidi.
Two of them stood out in particular. Weekend Update presenters Ania Magliano and Paddy Young both scored sold-out runs for their solo comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last month.
Joining the cast this series is Freddie Meredith. He most recently featured in Kat Sadler’s twisted female-driven comedy Such Brave Girls on the BBC.
The Fey Launch and the Hosting Run
Tina Fey, a U.S. star and SNL hall-of-famer, served as the first series’ first host. She shepherded the show to a solid start.
Jamie Dornan, Riz Ahmed, Jack Whitehall, Nicola Coughlan, Aimee Lou Wood, Hannah Waddingham and Ncuti Gatwa all booked the first series’ hosting roles. That lineup drew attention to the London spin-off of Lorne Michaels’ long-running NBC sketch show.
The first series’ best sketches included a Traitors parody whereby a giant crab goes undetected at the roundtable in a savvy social satire. There was also “The Prince Andrew Plan,” which saw MI5 staffers confirm that every single royal family snafu over the last three decades has all just been to make King Charles look great in comparison.
Goldblum Opens Series Two
Jeff Goldblum takes the first hosting role of the new series. The actor pairs with Irish singer-songwriter CMAT as musical guest.
The source’s schedule lists the Goldblum episode as Sept. 12, while its lead paragraph says Sept. 9. The two dates are not reconciled in the source, so the premiere date remains unclear.
Demetriou Takes the Second Slot
Jamie Demetriou hosts the Sept. 19 episode. Rock band Royal Blood joins him as musical guest.
Demetriou is best known for roles in Fleabag, Stath Lets Flats and Barbie.
Royal Blood provides the musical set for the night.
Dimoldenberg Closes the Announced Slate
Amelia Dimoldenberg hosts the Sept. 26 episode. English singer Rachel Chinouriri is her musical guest.
Dimoldenberg is best known as the presenter of Chicken Shop Date. Her SNL UK appearance comes on the heels of her confirmation that she’s bringing Chicken Shop Date to an end after 12 years.
Chinouriri rounds out the announced musical guests.
The Production Team Behind the Scenes
The show has made several changes and promotions behind the camera. Laura Claxton has been promoted to SNL UK co-head writer, joining existing head writer Jonno Johnson.
Liz Clare returns as director. Heather MacVean joins as costume designer. Sinead Oldnall is heading up the U.K. talent team as director of on-screen talent.
Lorne Michaels serves as executive producer on the show. James Longman is lead producer.
The Confirmed Schedule
Here is the full list of hosts and musical guests confirmed so far for the second series of SNL UK.
| Date | Host | Musical Guest |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 9 (lead) / Sept. 12 (schedule) | Jeff Goldblum | CMAT |
| Sept. 19 | Jamie Demetriou | Royal Blood |
| Sept. 26 | Amelia Dimoldenberg | Rachel Chinouriri |
More episodes are expected to be announced. The show has not confirmed hosts beyond the Sept. 26 date.
What the First Series Set Up
The first series established a working formula. It mixed sketch comedy with topical satire and a cast of relative newcomers. The viewership for the Fey episode, at over 220,000 people in Britain, gave the show a base to build on.
The breakout success of Magliano and Young at the Fringe suggests the show can launch careers.
The writing drew mixed reviews, with the Hollywood Reporter noting the quality gap between the cast and the material.
The first series aired on Sky, with availability on Peacock in the U.S. The source does not state the platform for the second series.
What to Watch For
The Goldblum opener is the clearest test of the show’s second-year ambitions.
The Demetriou episode features an actor-comedian with a notable run of credits.
The Dimoldenberg episode is the wild card. Her move from Chicken Shop Date to SNL UK is a major step.
The production changes also bear watching. The promotion of Claxton to co-head writer gives the writers’ room a new leadership structure for the second series.
SNL UK returns in September. The show has announced three episodes so far, with more expected in the coming weeks.
- Jeff Goldblum and CMAT — Sept. 9 or Sept. 12
- Jamie Demetriou and Royal Blood — Sept. 19
- Amelia Dimoldenberg and Rachel Chinouriri — Sept. 26
Source: hollywoodreporter.com
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