# A Peek Into ‘SNL UK’: Strict Security, Giddy Cynthia Erivo and Sometimes More a Party Than a TV Set

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/a-peek-into-snl-uk-strict-security-giddy-cynthia-erivo-and-sometimes-more-a-party-than-a-tv-set/
- Published: 2026-10-25T21:56:25+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-25T22:09:43+00:00
- Original publisher: The Hollywood Reporter
- Original article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/snl-uk-cynthia-erivo-season-2-nigerian-wicked-tv-review-1236739710/
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, TV, UK, World

## Key points

- Cynthia Erivo hosted SNL UK’s second-season finale.
- The live audience was limited to 275 people.
- Writers cut as many as 40 sketches to six or seven.

## Summary

SNL UK ended its second season with a live finale hosted by Cynthia Erivo, amid tight security and a lively, high-pressure atmosphere at London’s Television Centre. The account describes a large operation that feels more like a party than a television set, as the cast works to prove that the American sketch-show format can connect with British audiences.

The programme drew more than 220,000 viewers for Tina Fey’s first-season opener, but its first-season finale fell to 86,420 viewers, while Jeff Goldblum’s second-season opener attracted 105,000 overnight viewers. The finale’s audience numbered 275, and 30 to 40 sketches were cut to six or seven before broadcast; the returning cast includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye and Emma Sidi, with Freddie Meredith joining this season.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.