Watch Tina Fey's SNL UK Monologue with Nicola Coughlan, Graham Norton & Michael Cera
SNL's U.S. ambassador pulled out all the stops in a star-studded debut, and explained a bit about how the U.K. version will work.
The March 21 premiere of Saturday Night Live UK is already earning fans, thanks to host Tina Fey and the sketch series' talented new cast.
The former Saturday Night Live head writer and six-season cast member set the tone for a laugh-out-loud first episode of the highly-anticipated UK spinoff.
"I am so excited to be here in London, it is an absolute honor, and honestly, kind of historic," she announced before waiting a beat to joke, "Guys, I am the youngest person ever to host SNL UK!"
Watch Tina Fey's SNL UK monologue from March 21, 2026, here.
"So, why do a UK version of SNL? Well, like so many large-scale American operations these days, no one really knows why," Fey joked. "But here's what this is, okay? It is a sketch comedy show. There will be a different celebrity host each week. There will be music performances. And the show is truly live, so things may go wrong...things may have already gone wrong. My pants were supposed to be full-length."
We won't spoil it all, but cameos by Irish actress Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton), Irish comedian and talk show host Graham Norton, and Canadian actor Michael Cera set the stage for a genuinely special monologue.
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Nicola Coughlin "burst into tears" when she was asked to appear in Tina Fey's monologue
From Coughlan asking why an American was hosting the first-ever episode of SNL UK (with Fey answering in jaw-dropping fashion), to Norton quizzing Fey on her UK pop culture knowledge, the monologue served as a preview for what viewers should expect for this utterly unique version of the classic late-night sketch comedy series.
The moment between Fey and Coughlan was especially sweet. In an interview shared after the premiere, Coughlan revealed that she was so touched by Fey reaching out to her for a cameo that she "burst into tears."
After the show, the Irish Derry Girls alum posted a photo of herself and Fey, alongside the caption, "My life is made. Thank you @snluk and congratulations on a very excellent first show, total joy."
Is swearing allowed on SNL UK?
Yes. Viewers who've tuned in to the OG SNL for over five decades probably noticed something a little different about Fey's opening monologue — it was filled with uncensored curse words!
RELATED: How to Watch Saturday Night Live UK Episodes in America
Things work a little differently across the pond, where late-night television standards are evidently more relaxed. When Cera appeared and confronted the host about using the F-word, Fey clarified, "Oh, yeah, we are allowed to swear in this version of the show."
This revelation caused Cera to say a couple of his favorite swear words — uncensored, of course.
"I think I would use it sparingly, it feels kind of... unclassy," Cera declared after shouting out a few of his favorite UK-inspired curses. Fey agreed this was a great note.
Watch all of Tina Fey's SNL UK sketches on Peacock
Good news for stateside comedy fans: The Fey-hosted inaugural episode of SNL UK is currently available to stream on Peacock. Their edition of "Weekend Update" was anchored by cast members Ania Magliano and Paddy Young, while Coughlan's former Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page joined Fey in a sketch.
In addition, all sketches and segments from Fey's episode are available to stream a la carte-style on Peacock as well. Finding individual clips is as easy as searching for "Tina Fey" in the main search bar.
Moving forward, new episodes of SNL UK will be available on Peacock every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. The live March 28 episode will feature host Jamie Dornan and musical guest Wolf Alice.
