Saturday Night Live UK returns to Sky and NOW this weekend for a second season of comedy sketches, political satire and musical performances.
The first run of episodes was very well received by TV viewers and online audiences, but that doesn’t mean everything went exactly to plan behind the scenes.
Speaking to Radio Times, SNL UK cast member Jack Shep recalled a particular moment where his elaborate costume left one of his eyes glued shut during the live show.
In the episode hosted by Ncuti Gatwa, one sketch saw the former Doctor Who star playing the first Black James Bond – but having to do it painted green as Shrek.
A number of characters from the Shrek franchise went on to appear, including M as the Gingerbread Man, Q as Donkey and a Blofeld-esque Pinocchio, played by Shep.
“I was Pinocchio in that sketch,” he told RT. “I had this nose glued on and I was wearing wooden shoes – hard wooden shoes. I have an eye patch on and the glue seeped from my nose and over my eyeball. So my eye was glued shut.
“The other eye had an eye patch on. I’m holding the nose and I’m running in wooden shoes.
“I sat down and [the production team] were like, ‘Lift your legs up! Lift your legs up!’ And I had to, like, cross my legs underneath me, hold the wooden shoes in my lap, hold the nose, and I was going, ‘My eye’s glued down! My eye’s glued down!’
“They moved the eye patch over to my glued eye. If you watch it back, my eye’s glued shut in the sketch.”
Fellow SNL UK star Al Nash also recalled a moment in season 1 where he had to step into a role at the 11th hour despite knowing next to nothing about the sketch.
“They were like, ‘Oh, there’s not enough time now for George [Fouracres] to be covered for a costume change, so Al, can you be George’s part?’
“To be clear, if you’re not in a sketch, you don’t really think about it. So I last heard of this sketch on, like, Wednesday afternoon, had not seen the set or whatever.
“You’re in the make-up chair getting done for something else, and they’re like, ‘Here’s the lines. It’s roughly this.’ And I’m having to lie down on the set and say, like, ‘Which camera am I looking in?’
“I’ve never said the lines out loud before. I’ve never seen the set before. I’m just lying on the ground being like, ‘This is national television!'”
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Shep, Nash and all of the stars from SNL UK season 1 are returning for the new episodes, where they’ll be joined by a brand new cast member – Freddie Meredith.
Jurassic Park icon Jeff Goldblum will serve as guest host for the first episode of season 2, with music from Ivor Novello Award winner CMAT.
Stath Lets Flats’ Jamie Demetriou and Chicken Shop Date’s Amelia Dimoldenberg have also been confirmed as hosts for the next two episodes.
Saturday Night Live UK season 2 begins on Sky TV and NOW on 12 September for the first six episodes, with additional shows planned in early 2027. You can sign up to Sky TV from £15 a month.
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