President Donald Trump’s new hair colour became the target of a sharp joke on “SNL U.K.” Weekend Update, with one host saying the punchline was stripped from him by the show’s lawyers.
Co-anchor Ania Magliano opened the segment by noting that Trump had stepped off Air Force One with a darker head of hair. “He appears to be trialling a new shade of brown. Or, he’s shat his head,” she quipped.
Paddy Young followed up with a question about the president’s sense of style. “People are questioning, does the carpet still match the drapes?” he asked. Then came the twist: “I wouldn’t know, that’s between the president and the punchline that just a second ago was taken from me by our legal team. Thank you, legal team, it was almost funny.”
It is unclear whether the moment was a joke or whether the legal department actually intervened.
Prince George’s First Day at Eton
The segment also turned to Prince George’s first day at Eton College, one of Britain’s most prestigious schools. Magliano framed the occasion as a test of survival.
“How will he survive being stuck in a place famous for producing sexual abusers? By leaving it and going to Eton College,” she said, drawing “ooo” sounds from the audience.
The joke plays on the idea that Eton is known for producing abusers — a dark reference that landed with audible response from the crowd.
Anti-Migrant Protests in the U.K.
The segment also touched on recent anti-migrant protests in the U.K., singling out far-right activist Danny Tommo and his group Patriot Platform. Magliano described the scene at one demonstration.
“On Saturday, members of Tommo’s group Patriot Platform yelled obscenities, threw stones, spat and then said goodbye to their families and headed to the protest,” she joked.
Young responded with a biographical dig. “Who is this Danny Tommo?” he asked. “Before launching Patriot Platform he is reported to have tried his luck as both a bricklayer and a web designer. However, neither worked out as he had the physique of a web designer and a mind of a brick.”
The Host of the Episode
The first episode of “SNL U.K.” Season 2 was hosted by Jeff Goldblum. The Weekend Update segment is a recurring feature, similar to its counterpart on the American version of the show.
What Made the Segment Work
The segment balanced three distinct targets:
- Trump’s new hair colour
- Prince George’s debut at Eton
- The anti-migrant protests led by Danny Tommo
Each joke followed a similar pattern: set up a serious-sounding observation, then undercut it with a crude or absurd punchline. The tone stayed consistent across all three segments, even as the topics shifted from politics to royalty to social issues.
The Lawyer Line That Stole the Show
The highlight was Young’s admission that the joke about the president’s carpet was cut by lawyers. The line worked because it acknowledged the absurdity of the situation — that a joke about a man’s hair could trigger legal intervention — while delivering the punchline anyway.
Magliano’s delivery framed the president’s hair as a trial of a new shade or a failure of bodily control, depending on how the listener chose to hear it.
A Cautionary Note on the Prince George Line
The joke about Prince George surviving a place known for abusers is dark humour dressed as satire. The segment simply stated the premise and moved on.
Final Word
The Weekend Update segment was sharp, pointed, and it landed the punchlines quickly. It targeted Trump’s hair, Prince George’s school, and the far-right protests in quick succession, each time using the same deadpan delivery.
Young’s lawyer line was the best moment of the segment, a self-aware gag that made the whole performance feel more confident. The show took risks with its targets, and the audience responded.
The segment was a strong start to the season, and it showed what “SNL U.K.” expects from its political commentary.
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