Paddy Young, the breakout star of Saturday Night Live UK, is having a moment—but he can't quite enjoy it. The 34-year-old comedian, who co-anchors the show's Weekend Update segment alongside Ania Magliano, recently sliced his hand open with a samurai sword, severing a tendon 90%. Despite surgery and a severe needle phobia that causes him to faint, he's still performing and preparing for a busy summer: the Edinburgh fringe, an acting job, a new podcast, and multiple Floggers shows.
A Comedian's Unlikely Path
Young grew up in Scarborough, north Yorkshire, and was cast by playwright Alan Ayckbourn at age 10 in a professional production. After studying at Manchester School of Theatre, he tentatively tried standup, inspired by Laurel and Hardy, Derek and Clive, and Viz comics. His early years were tough: 'going to these rubbish nights and being truly, truly depressed, then bombing and running away.' He stuck with it due to a deep-seated conviction he 'could be good.'
His career gained traction in 2022 via Instagram sketches with comedian Ed Night, parodying content creators. But Young is ambivalent about social media: 'You might pat yourself on the back because 200,000 people watch your video but then someone's getting hit with a frying pan and it's got 30m.' He prefers crafting standup hours over churning out content.
From Flatshares to SNL UK
Young's standup focuses on his living situation and 'bachelor' lifestyle. Despite now living with fellow comedians, he fears ending up in flatshares forever: 'I sort of feel like a 68-year-old bloke – like it's all gone to pot and it hasn't at all.' His 2023 Edinburgh show Hungry, Horny, Scared mined humor from bleak flatshares and childhood bed-wetting, earning a newcomer award nomination.
Last year, he was cast in SNL UK, a role he felt perfectly suited for. The show has offered job security and exposure: its sketches amassed over 86 million online views in one month. 'You're running down the corridor to get a wig fitted and then you pass Louis Theroux chatting to a beefeater. It really does feel like showbusiness,' he says.
Impersonating the Prime Minister
In the final episode of SNL UK's first series, Young played Andy Burnham in a sketch about politicians vying to become PM. With Burnham's ascension to the top job, Young will likely reprise the role regularly. His Burnham shares traits with his standup persona—using 'shagger' as a term of endearment and mocking southern extravagance. Young hopes Burnham 'could grow a moustache over the summer' to match his own, which he calls 'scaffolding' for his career.
Weekend Update has featured sharp satire and great writing, and Young's delivery sells even weak gags. He admits he can't say jokes he dislikes but is learning 'a way to pretend.' He avoids mocking specific political party voters but pushes boundaries: 'There are people on set that are 30 years older than me that tell me they've never got away with this on TV.'
Anxiety and Uncertainty
Despite his success, Young remains anxious. He is haunted by a story of an older comic whose income declined after a peak, and he considers drastic measures: 'I'm not a gambler, but I have thought: do I put all of my pay on red?' He feels he's 'fumbling in the dark' with no plan, while peers discuss five-year strategies. Yet he also has integrity, preferring to finesse material rather than wing it on a podcast.
Young tours the UK from 17 September to 12 December. SNL UK returns in September and January. 'I'm 34 and I've never known what I'm doing for more than six months,' he says. But his star is rising, and he may yet avoid that flatshare at 68.
