Posted in: Peacock, Sky One, TV | Tagged: snl, SNL UK

SNL UK Midweek Sketch: Host Nicola Coughlan Gets Nostalgic

In this week's midweek sketch, host Nicola Coughlan gets nostalgic for the early days of SNL UK. You know, from four weeks ago...

Though we have another weekend to go before NBC's Saturday Night Live returns, that's not the case with Sky and NOW's Saturday Night Live UK. On April 25th, Nicola Coughlan begins her journey to the "Five-Timers" Club as host, with the Foo Fighters as the musical guest. Following that, on May 2nd, we have host Aimee Lou Wood and musical guest Meek on tap. To help kick off the return week, we've got an SNL UK Midweek Sketch that sees Coughlan taking a trip down memory lane – fondly embracing the studio's sights and sounds as if it were yesterday (instead of the four weeks since she was last there). You can understand why SNL UK stars Annabel Marlow and Hammed Animashaun would be a wee bit confused…

Here's a look at Coughlan's midweek sketch, followed by a look back at the SNL UK Cold Open from the previous show:

SNL UK Cold Open Sees Melania Trump Playing Games with Epstein Files

When it comes to cold opens that twist the knife, SNL UK has been on a killer role since it debuted – and it continued those winning ways heading into its break. Kicking off the Jack Whitehall-hosted effort (with musical guest Jorja Smith), last weekend's SNL UK saw Jack Shep, Al Nash, and Annabel Marlow play three friends enjoying some rare sun (even if the temperature doesn't match it) with a garden BBQ and some drinks. To add some spark to the festivities, the three decide to engage in a few rounds of "Never Have I Ever." For those of you who don't know the rules: one person says, "Never have I ever…," followed by some kind of action." If it's something you've never done, you don't do anything. But if it's something that you have done, then you would have to drink (and probably do some serious explaining. For example, if someone said, "Never have I ever held up a liquor store at gunpoint," and you actually have held up a liquor store at gunpoint, then you would have to drink.

"Never have I ever kissed two boys on one night," Shep threw out to the other two – with Marlow replying, "Guilty!" At this point, there wouldn't be any reason to think for a second that the cold open would soon turn into a knife-twist on Melania Trump and the controversy surrounding Kanye West and the canceled Wireless Festival. That would change – and fast. Never have I ever accidentally booked a Neo-Nazi to headline a music festival for three nights," Marlow offered. "Girl, you said you wouldn't bring that up!" responded. Of course, the joke is a ten-ton reference to the UK Government banning West from entering the country for the music festival over his recent history of antisemitic and other hate speech.

But once Emma Sid's Melania Trump entered the scene (from behind a bush, we might add), "Never have I ever been friends with Jeffrey Epstein!" Melania offers, catching the trio off guard. Even when she suggests a different game, Melania just can't stop trying to convince people that she has no idea who Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell are. Moving on to a game of "Truth or Dare," Melania throws out, "How dare you accuse me of female friendship with short-haired sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell?" Marlow and Shep are confused about why Melania keeps going back to the Epstein/Maxwell stuff, especially since (as Shep notes to Melania), your husband literally started a war to distract us all from it."

Heading into the weekend, Melania released an official statement from her office, denying that she had a relationship with Epstein or Maxwell. What made the statement even more headline-grabbing was that it appeared to come out of nowhere, with Donald Trump's side of The White House reportedly unaware that the statement would be released. Meanwhile, back in the world of the SNL UK Cold Open, the sketch ends with Melania making the case for "one last chance" (noting she no longer has any friends "since they all died in a maximum security prison). To prove her sincerity, Melania proposes one more game: "2 Truths and a Lie," offering, "I love my new friends, I like poor people – wink, wink – and live from London, it's 'Saturday Night!'"

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!