Hannah Waddingham made her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live UK over the weekend, helping the show achieve its highest live viewing figures in five weeks. The Sky comedy series, based on the iconic NBC format, drew a live audience of 197,200 on Saturday evening, according to official BARB data supplied by overnights.tv.
This audience represents the third-largest live viewership of the season so far, trailing only the season premiere hosted by Tina Fey (226,000) and the Jamie Dornan-fronted second episode (205,000). The figures are a significant boost for the show, which has seen its live numbers fluctuate throughout its debut season.
However, live viewing figures only tell part of the story. SNL UK's total audience more than triples once catch-up, streaming, and repeat viewings are included. The strong performance, coupled with viral sketches online, convinced Sky to renew the series for a second season earlier this week.
In Waddingham's episode, Peter Serafinowicz appeared as Nigel Farage in a cold open sketch set in 2046, where Farage is Prime Minister and the monarch is 'King Trump'. The Ted Lasso star's hosting stint follows a season that has featured a mix of celebrity hosts and topical comedy.
There is one episode left of SNL UK Season 1, which will be hosted next week by Ncuti Gatwa. The show's creator, Lorne Michaels, commented on the renewal, saying: 'I'm incredibly proud of our team and the show. It keeps getting better every week.'
