When a new version of Saturday Night Live launches in another country, the stakes are enormous. The show has to introduce a brand-new cast, establish its comedic voice, and prove it can live up to one of television’s most iconic brands. That’s exactly why having Tina Fey host the inaugural episode of Saturday Night Live UK is such a smart move.
Before she became one of comedy’s most prolific creators, Fey spent nearly a decade shaping the original Saturday Night Live in the United States. She joined the show as a writer in 1997 and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the sketch show’s first female head writer. On-screen, she became equally indispensable, most famously as co-anchor of “Weekend Update” alongside Jimmy Fallon and later Amy Poehler.
That combination of writer’s room expertise and live-performance experience makes Fey uniquely suited for the job of launching a brand-new version of Saturday Night Live. The UK's inaugural episode should benefit greatly from having Fey in the building, where she can act as a de-facto producer if she chooses.
Fey’s familiarity with the rhythms of the show should help the creative team behind Saturday Night Live UK hit the ground running. From table reads to last-minute rewrites, there may be no host better equipped to navigate the unique stress of premiere night.
Still, it's a little surprising that Fey will be the first-ever host of Saturday Night Live UK. An iconic or popular British star would see more appropriate to help the show get off the ground and establish an identity separate from its American inspiration.
By hosting the first episode of the British counterpart, Fey effectively helps pass the baton from the long-running U.S. institution to its new U.K. spinoff. If the goal is to ensure the smoothest possible launch, it’s hard to argue there’s a better choice than Fey.
Once the foundation is set, the show will quickly shift its focus to a broader range of hosts. The next two episodes are already slated to feature Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed, both of whom should help the series establish its U.K. identity.
But in order to give them the best chance at success, Saturday Night Live UK needs a strong start. Tina Fey knows exactly how to make sketch comedy work from the ground up. The UK cast should feel safe knowing they don't have to carry a host when there's already so much more to worry about on the first episode.
Saturday Night Live UK premieres on March 21 at 10 p.m. on Sky One. American audiences can catch the episode the next day streaming on Peacock.