The second episode of Saturday Night Live U.K. aired on March 28, 2026, continuing the much-anticipated British adaptation of the iconic American comedy show. With actor Jamie Dornan taking the reins as host and Wolf Alice providing the musical interlude, the episode promised a mix of star power and fresh comedic takes. But as the dust settles on its sophomore outing, questions linger about its ratings, audience reactions, and the show's evolving place in the crowded Saturday night television landscape.
From the jump, the episode didn’t shy away from controversy or headline-making material. According to Variety, the show opened with a sketch lampooning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) and the Epstein scandal. Jack Shep, who had previously brought Princess Diana to life in the inaugural episode, returned to portray Prince Andrew. The sketch set the tone for an evening that would blend sharp satire with the irreverence that SNL is known for on both sides of the Atlantic.
Despite the high-profile host and topical material, the show’s traditional television ratings took a modest dip. Official BARB figures supplied by overnights.tv and cited by Variety reveal that the episode attracted 205,000 viewers during its 10 p.m. slot on Sky One, down from the 226,000 who tuned in for the series premiere just a week earlier. The audience share slipped slightly as well, from 3.2% in week one to 3.17% for the second episode.
Yet, the show’s digital footprint told a different story. The Prince Andrew sketch found viral success online, racking up 829,000 views on YouTube in just 14 hours. Another sketch, featuring Jamie Dornan and cast member Annabel Marlow in a hostage scenario, garnered nearly 206,000 views in 13 hours. These numbers suggest that while traditional TV audiences may be modest, SNL U.K. is finding a broader and perhaps younger audience through digital platforms.
In the fiercely competitive 10 p.m. time slot, SNL U.K. faced stiff competition from established British programming. BBC One’s news broadcast commanded a formidable 1.6 million viewers with a 20.95% share, while The Jonathan Ross Show on ITV1 drew 1.1 million viewers (16.59% share). Channel 4’s airing of the 2022 sci-fi disaster film Moonfall attracted just 126,000 viewers, capturing a 2.96% share—less than SNL U.K. but still a reminder of how fragmented Saturday night viewing can be.
The evening’s undisputed champion, however, was Gladiators on BBC One, which aired much earlier at 5:45 p.m. and pulled in an average of 3.3 million viewers, representing a staggering 32.69% share. It was closely followed by Britain’s Got Talent on ITV1 (3.2 million viewers, 29.66% share) and Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel (2.7 million viewers, 25.09% share). In such a crowded field, carving out space for a new comedy franchise is no small feat.
Beyond the numbers, the content of the episode sparked lively debate and engagement across social media. One sketch, in particular, grabbed the spotlight: a comedy song simply titled “Pub Song.” The scenario unfolds at Bristol Airport, with Jack Shep’s character waxing poetic about Spain—“The most beautiful place in the world. A country of art, culture and culinary delights.” Annabel Marlow’s character then delivers the punchline: “And when we get there, there’s only one place we’re going to go…” The cast launches into the now-infamous chorus: “to the British-themed pub, pub, pub, pub.”
The song quickly became an earworm for many viewers. Social media buzzed with reactions: “This song is so catchy,” tweeted one fan, while another declared, “Proper banger that, another moment I’ll be singing out loud all week.” Yet, not everyone was swept up by the tune. Some viewers took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice concerns about the show’s use of generative AI for on-screen graphics. “Pleeeease tell me this isn’t AI slop,” wrote one user, sharing a screenshot from the sketch. Another commented, “snl uk… I’m gonna need you guys to stop using gen AI for random onscreen graphics etc.” A third added, “SNL is so brilliant but the use of generative AI has to stop for next week.” According to indy100, Sky UK has been approached for comment regarding the use of AI in the show’s production.
The episode also featured a variety of sketches beyond royal satire and musical comedy. Viewers saw a pedantic hostage scenario and a haunted Jools Holland, demonstrating the show’s commitment to blending British cultural references with the classic SNL format. The creative team, led by executive producer Lorne Michaels—the legendary creator of the original Saturday Night Live—seems keen on striking a balance between familiar British humor and the American show’s trademark irreverence.
The series kicked off just a week earlier, on March 21, 2026, with an all-star inaugural episode featuring Michael Cera, Graham Norton, Regé-Jean Page, and Nicola Coughlan. The launch generated significant buzz, with many viewers tuning in to see how the storied American franchise would translate to a British context. The show’s third episode, scheduled for April 4, 2026, is set to be hosted by Riz Ahmed with musical guest Kasabian, promising another blend of star power and musical flair.
While the ratings for SNL U.K. may not yet rival those of its free-to-air competitors, its online popularity and social media engagement hint at a shifting landscape for comedy and variety programming in the U.K. The show’s willingness to tackle topical issues, experiment with musical comedy, and even court controversy with its use of new technology suggests an ambition to become a staple of British Saturday nights—both on television and across digital platforms.
As SNL U.K. heads into its third week, all eyes will be on whether it can build on its digital momentum and win over a broader television audience. For now, it stands as a fascinating experiment in cultural adaptation, blending the best of British and American comedic traditions while navigating the ever-changing tastes of viewers both at home and online.