‘SNL U.K.’ Struggles to Land With Viewers as Ratings Drop

In the 10 p.m. Saturday night time slot, Channel 4’s Bill Bailey: Thoughtifier and Top of the Pops 1989 on BBC 2 both notched double the audience of the sketch-comedy show. However, as Variety noted, those two competing programs are on free-to-air channels, unlike Sky. But, among the line-up at Sky, SNL U.K. was the most-watched content on Saturday. Just like its American predecessor, SNL U.K. fuses sketch comedy and political satire. At the end of the cold open, the actors shout, “live from London it’s Saturday night,” replicating the iconic catch phrase from New York. After Tina Fey hosted the first show in London, Fifty Shades actor Jamie Dornan took his turn, followed by English actor Riz Ahmed. Comedian and actor Jack Whitehall will host the next episode of the show, which will air on April 25. Read it at VarietyRead more at The Daily Beast.