The first-ever episode of ‘Saturday Night Live UK’ was broadcast across the pond and took aim at the instantly disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
On the first Weekend Update, hosts Ania Mariano and Paddy Young spoke freely about the former prince, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in office earlier this year following the publication of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein.
Before that, he had already been stripped of his royal titles and asked to leave his residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
“Weekend Update is all about pedophilia. But first, war!” Mariano said at the beginning of his segment, drawing a strong reaction from the live audience.
After a few jokes that referenced the Iran conflict, the focus returned to Andrew. His permanent residence is at Marsh Farm on King Charles’ Sandringham estate.
“Renovations to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s new home, Marsh Farm, took place last month, including the installation of Sky TV. So, hello to those of you watching this Andrew!” Mariano joked. “You’re not going to like this next time. Besides, I’m older than I look.
“Andrew’s new home, Marsh Farm, is of course named after the nearby wetland where his body was found.”
“It was reported this week that the police investigation into Andrew was set to expand,” Young said. “The big question now is, if Andrew is indicted, convicted and sent to prison, will he be able to keep his mouth shut? I hope not, said cellmate Penis.”
The corner also briefly drew attention to another famous British family, the Beckhams.
“Father and son David and Brooklyn Beckham, who had a feud, almost ran into each other at the same Beverly Hills hotel,” Young began. “The feud began when Victoria became ‘inappropriately’ intimate with her son at his wedding, according to the citation, and escalated after Brooklyn accidentally shouted his wife’s name while having sex with his mother.”
This episode marked the UK debut of the long-running American variety show. The UK version follows the same structure and includes celebrity hosts, live sketches and musical performances.
Prior to its premiere, the series had already received a vote of confidence from its network, Sky.
Originally planned as a six-episode series, it was expanded to eight 75-minute episodes, with each episode written and rehearsed in the week leading up to the live broadcast.
The first episode was hosted by Tina Fey, who wrote and starred in the U.S. version from 1997 to 2006. Music for the evening was provided by Wet Legs.
Future episodes will feature hosts including Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed, as well as musical guests Wolf Alice and Kasabian.
In addition to Weekend Update hosts Mariano and Young, the show’s main cast includes Hamed Animashaun, Ayoade Bumboy, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Annabelle Marlowe, Al Nash, Jack Shepp, and Emma Sidi.
When the show was announced, a press release hinted at what was to come for the series, saying, “This first batch of hosts, musical guests and cast members will mark the beginning of a bold new chapter for the globally acclaimed SNL series, fusing its storied traditions with a new generation of British comedy voices.”
