Andy Burnham got a guitar lesson from Noel Gallagher on SNL U.K., and the lesson went straight to his head. The third episode of the British spinoff opened with the prime minister reflecting on a recent speech at the UN, only to find himself recruited by a band of Russian spies disguised as the Manchester rock duo.
The sketch starts with Burnham (played by George Fouracres) boasting about his address to the United Nations to Secretary of State Angela Rayner (Celeste Dring). “It’s just like Manchester, except the trams go underground,” he said. Rayner praised his stand against Russia, adding that Britain’s freedoms — and its Greggs — are what drive the country’s enemies wild.
Burnham responded with a classic line about dividing himself. “I’m sick of Russia trying to divide us people,” he said. “We can divide ourselves, thank you very much.”
Then Liam (Jack Shep) and Noel Gallagher (Freddie Meredith) appeared. They claimed Liam had injured his hand and asked Burnham to step in at guitar for their next show. Burnham agreed without hesitation, and handed over his personal details as requested. Almost instantly, the Gallaghers switched to Russian accents.
“Oasis is and has always been Russian psyop,” Noel declared.
The joke is that Burnham’s pride is the weapon. He hands over his information happily because he believes he is being asked to join a band, not interrogated by a spy. The sketch leans entirely on his self-importance, and it plays that perfectly.
The Speech at the UN
Before the band arrives, the sketch sets up Burnham’s character through his exchange with Rayner. She praises his speech at the UN, calling it a stand against Russia.
The reference to Manchester’s trams going underground is a small local detail that makes the scene feel specific to Britain. Rayner’s addition of Greggs — the chain of baked goods shops — is a throwaway line, but it lands as a reminder that this is a British sketch with a British sense of humour.
The Guitar Recruit
The core of the sketch is the recruitment itself. Liam and Noel arrive as a band in need of a guitarist, and they frame the request as a simple favour. Burnham agrees immediately, handing over his personal details without a second thought.
The switch to Russian accents happens almost instantly after he agrees. Noel’s declaration that “Oasis is and has always been Russian psyop” is the reveal, and it is delivered with the deadpan certainty of someone who has been waiting for this moment.
The sketch does not spend time explaining the psyop. It assumes the audience knows who Oasis is and trusts the premise that they could be spies. That assumption is part of the joke.
The Threat of Puppetry
The sketch raises the stakes by warning that the U.K. will become a Russian puppet state if Burnham does not resist. Burnham does not back down. Instead, he delivers a rambling monologue about his power as prime minister.
“Just because you have the power to do something, doesn’t mean you should. I, for example, could hold a general election tomorrow and easily smash it,” he said. “But as I announced yesterday, I won’t do. And I could. Maybe I should. And I will. But I won’t. Unless I do. Which I won’t. Unless I do. And that is true leadership.”
The repetition is the point. Burnham speaks in circles, repeating his refusal to call an election while insisting he could win it easily. The sketch captures a particular brand of political confidence that feels both funny and recognisable.
Noel asks, “What do you think, comrade?” Liam responds with a single word: “Maybe.”
When Burnham demands Noel speak up, he does so to the tune of “Wonderwall,” singing “I said mayyyybeeee.”
What the Sketch Actually Says
The sketch is a parody of political confidence, not of Oasis. The band serves as a vehicle for Burnham’s self-destruction. By recruiting him as a guitarist, the sketch turns his love of music and performance against him.
The sketch also touches on the idea of British identity, with the trams and Greggs references anchoring the scene in a specific cultural context.
The joke is that Burnham is so convinced of his own importance that he cannot see the trap. He hands over his details because he thinks he is being asked to join a band, not interrogated by a spy. The sketch plays that perfectly, and the repetition of his refusal to call an election is the payoff.
Key Facts Box
- Episode: Third of Season 2 of “Saturday Night Live U.K.”
- Prime Minister: Andy Burnham, played by George Fouracres
- Secretary of State: Angela Rayner, played by Celeste Dring
- Noel Gallagher: played by Freddie Meredith
- Liam Gallagher: played by Jack Shep
- Musical reference: “Wonderwall”
See the video the story is built around at Variety.
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