Saturday Night Live UK took its boldest gamble yet with its series finale, and it paid off handsomely. Starring Ncuti Gatwa, the episode capped off the British spin-off's first season with a blend of political satire, celebrity cameos, and unabashedly British humor.
A Stellar Host and a British Twist
Ncuti Gatwa, the 33-year-old former Doctor Who star, joined the SNL UK cast for a finale that aired opposite the Eurovision Song Contest on BBC One. Following strong episodes hosted by Nicola Coughlan and Hannah Waddingham, Gatwa had big shoes to fill. Fortunately, he and the cast delivered an out-of-this-world run of sketches throughout the evening.
The episode leaned heavily into its core Britishness, with Gatwa poking fun at his role as the Fifteenth Doctor. 'About 12 of you watched me in Doctor Who. Maybe that's why I kept crying!' he joked.
Political Cold Open and Standout Moments
The episode kicked off with an energetic cold open set inside No. 10 Downing Street, featuring Jack Shep as Wes Streeting and Annabel Marlow as Liz Truss. Paddy Young also took time out from hosting Weekend Update to play Andy Burnham, throwing his name into the hat for the Labour leadership race. The sketch marked a possible send-off for George Fouracres' Keir Starmer, whose leadership may be a thing of the past by the time SNL UK returns.
'Maybe you're right. Maybe I should step down,' squeaked Starmer. 'Two years is pretty good going for a Prime Minister these days.' 'That's like 24 me's!' remarked Liz Truss, in the episode's best line, before being shooed back into her cupboard by Emma Sidi.
Gospel Choirs, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Louis Theroux
The night's first sketch focused on a gospel choir group in the UK, wryly commenting on appealing to white sensibilities to make business boom. 'We're basically Deliveroo for gospel choirs,' said Gatwa's Musical Director. 'White guilt is quite lucrative,' he continued, drawing a line from Harry and Meghan's wedding to Trump's re-election.
Next, Gatwa played Thomas the Tank Engine in a spoof starring Al Nash as the Fat Controller, in a skit about workplace bullying. This netted a Fouracres impression of Ringo Starr, a fun coincidence given that Sir Paul McCartney was the musical act on the US finale that same night.
Another impression saw Larry Dean appear as Louis Theroux in a sketch lampooning the documentarian. Its single joke quickly ran thin, but was enlivened by Larry's spot-on voice and a cameo from Theroux himself.
Mr Blobby Horror and Weekend Update
The best sketch of the night turned Mr Blobby into a horror movie villain in a chilling mockumentary, shedding terrifying new light on the 1980s mine closures. Warning of an army of Blobbies lurking underground, it was an enjoyably sinister work of found footage horror, reminiscent of the show's own British Pork sketch.
Weekend Update continued to mock the state of UK politics amid challenges faced by Keir Starmer after the local elections. After Paddy Young's hilarious beatbox tribute to Eric Morecambe, Ania Magliano addressed Eurovision via an amusing interview with Al Nash's European judge.
Shrek, Bond, and Wine Moms
Gatwa appeared as himself in a sketch critiquing cinema's habit of turning Black actors green, dressing him up as Shrek and having him do a Mike Myers impression. With Gatwa turning in his License to Kill, the production team fell back on the only Black actor who might play Bond without backlash: Alison Hammond.
SNL wouldn't be SNL without a dud or two, and the overlong Wine Mom dance sketch was carried only by Gatwa and Jack Shep's enthusiasm. Still, its cosmic horror twist had its own internal logic, feeling like a Doctor Who premise.
A Triumphant End
Throughout the episode, SNL UK leaned into its unabashed Britishness, from the political cold open to niche cameos. Blending fun guest stars and inspired one-liners with classic SNL absurdism, the show was firing on all cylinders. This marked a triumphant end to the UK edition's first series, introducing breakout stars in George Fouracres and Jack Shep. Thankfully, the show has been confirmed for a second series, and fans hope it lives longer than Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor.
Saturday Night Live UK is currently streaming on NOW.
