SNL UK Makes a Comeback with Royal and Political Spoofs

Saturday Night Live UK rolled out its second series on Saturday night, and the opening salvo was as irreverent as you’d expect. The show opened with a political‑royal mash‑up that had Jack Shep and Ayoade Bamgboye playing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle strolling onto the Balmoral estate to meet a very bewildered King (Larry Dean) and a smug Queen Camilla (Emma Sidi).

Harry’s first line – “Daddy, I’m home!” – set the tone for a sketch that riffed on the couple’s much‑talked‑about return to the UK after six years in the States. Charles, playing himself, jokes that Balmoral is “for royals only,” while Camilla, ever‑the diplomat, greets Meghan with a slightly off‑beat “you’re as brown as ever.” The writers clearly winked at Meghan’s Netflix series, with the Duchess presenting Camilla a block of ice and bragging she’s a “whizz in the kitchen.” Harry chimes in, “It’s true, she hires the best cooks,” before the pair get a ribbing about their $60 million Netflix‑funded lifestyle.

Just when the royal banter seemed to be winding down, the sketch took a left turn into politics. Enter Andy Burnham, freshly minted Prime Minister (portrayed by George Fouracres). “Did somebody say ‘regular guy’? I’m the new PM and I’m nothing like the last one,” he declares, poking fun at his own meteoric rise from Mayor of Greater Manchester to the MP for Makerfield – a constituency he admits he barely knows.

The joke lands with Burnham attempting a pun – “Maybe I will make a field” – while Charles, ever the king, repeats the name “Makerfield” like a broken record. Burnham then caps the bit with a mock‑inspirational speech, comparing himself to Gary Barlow: “I’m just a regular man from the north with a dream, a relatable manner and a massive son.” The absurdity peaks when Harry and Meghan, apparently inspired, decide they too want to be “regular” like Burnham, prompting the sketch to segue into the musical number.

The host for the night, the 73‑year‑old Jeff Goldblum, turned the stage into a playground of quirky characters, even slipping into a bit about “invisible friends” that felt delightfully nonsensical. He was joined on the music side by Irish singer‑songwriter CMAT, who delivered a blend of Euro‑country vibes and pop hooks, including the breezy “Stay For Something.”

Sky’s original SNL UK, filmed live in London, keeps its format of a rotating host and musical guest each week. The next episode lands on September 19, with Jamie Demetriou of Stath Lets Flats at the helm and the hard‑rock outfit Royal Blood taking the musical slot.

All in all, the return feels like a love‑letter to British satire – a little chaotic, a lot self‑aware, and unapologetically poking fun at the nation’s most talked‑about figures.