Tina Fey kicks off Saturday Night Live UK with a profanity-laced monologue

Nicola Coughlan, Michael Cera, and Graham Norton helped Fey kick off the first version of SNL UK.

By Drew Gillis  |  March 23, 2026 | 10:30am
Screenshot: SkyTV/YouTube
TV News Saturday Night Live UK
Tina Fey kicks off Saturday Night Live UK with a profanity-laced monologue

51 seasons into Saturday Night Live, the United Kingdom has finally gotten around to producing their own version. Saturday Night Live UK kicked off this weekend with its first episode, featuring host Tina Fey. Having first joined the U.S. version of the show as a writer nearly 30 years ago, and having returned to the show multiple times as a host, Fey is a good person to show the U.K. cast the ropes. Other than the set, Fey’s monologue was largely what we’d come to expect from an SNL monologue. The host walked out to music, cracked some jokes, and bantered with a few (mostly non-British) celebrities scattered throughout the audience. 

“If this is SNL UK, then why are you the first host? Like, shouldn’t it be a British icon like David Beckham, or Judi Dench, or, like, Shrek?” asked Bridgerton star and Irish actor Nicola Coughlan. After learning that Shrek is Scottish and that Scotland is part of Britain, Fey responded, “Well, that is a valid question: Why an American host? And the way it was explained to me was that for this first episode, anyway, how do I put this politely… none of you fuckers would do it? Does that make sense?” 

Yes, in Britain—or at least on SkyTV—SNL can swear. There will be no FCC fines for whoever emerges as the Jenny Slate of SNL UK. Later, Canadian star Michael Cera expresses surprise at Fey’s use of the F-bomb and she confirms that she’s allowed to and invites Cera to try it out, too. “Shitbird! Fucking bollocks! I think I would use it sparingly, it feels kind of unclassy,” Cera concludes. “I agree Michael, that’s a great note,” concurs Fey. You heard it from the experts, Brits! 

Check out Fey’s whole monologue here: 

 

 
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