Saturday Night Live UK season 2: Jeff Goldblum hosts tonight

Saturday Night Live UK returns tonight, Saturday 12 September, with Jeff Goldblum hosting the second-series premiere and CMAT appearing as musical guest. The programme starts at 10pm BST on Sky One and Now, according to The Guardian and Radio Times. It brings the sketch show back to British screens after a debut run that challenged expectations about its prospects.

Freddie Meredith joins the cast for the new series, while returning performers are expected to carry forward the comedy that helped establish the programme, according to The Guardian. The opening night therefore combines a new guest pairing with continuity in the ensemble. For viewers, the question is no longer simply whether the UK version can work, but how it develops after that initial success.

Goldblum and CMAT lead the opening-night line-up

Goldblum is the first guest host of the new series, with CMAT taking the musical slot, according to Radio Times and Deadline. Their bookings give the premiere distinct attractions without making it solely a vehicle for either performer. Hosting, musical performance and the work of the sketch cast are separate parts of the evening, and the episode’s balance will depend on how they come together.

That offers different ways into the same programme. Viewers drawn primarily by Goldblum will also encounter CMAT’s performance and the ensemble, while those tuning in for the musical guest will be watching her within a comedy-led show. The pairing is a reason to watch the opener, but it is not a verdict on it: neither the hosting nor the performance can be assessed before tonight’s broadcast.

Freddie Meredith joins the returning ensemble

Meredith is the new cast member identified in The Guardian’s preview of the return. His arrival is an addition to an established group rather than evidence of a wholesale replacement of the performers from the debut run. That matters to the character of the relaunch: the programme is bringing a new performer into its ensemble while retaining a connection with what audiences have already seen.

The cast also gives the show an identity beyond the name at the top of the guest bill. Goldblum’s appearance is attached to tonight’s premiere; Meredith’s appointment is a cast change for the new series. Those are different kinds of involvement. Paying attention to the ensemble, rather than treating it simply as support for the host, will give viewers a fuller sense of how the UK programme is developing.

A second series brings a different test

The Guardian describes the first run as a success that defied widespread expectations. That is the relevant backdrop to tonight’s return, but it changes the terms on which the programme will be judged. A debut can benefit from overturning doubts; a second series has to make its own case. The fact that the first run worked does not settle whether the next will be as effective.

Topical sketches are expected, according to Radio Times. Their appeal rests on more than recognising a familiar subject: a sketch needs to turn that recognition into a comic idea. For a British audience watching on a Saturday night, the interest is in how the programme interprets the moment, not simply whether it notices the same stories everyone else has been discussing.

That makes tonight a test of execution rather than just bookings. A well-chosen guest can bring attention to a premiere, but the writing and performances have to sustain it. The useful questions are about pace, the clarity of the jokes and whether the ensemble feels coherent alongside the host. Those are things the broadcast itself can answer, rather than conclusions to draw from the announced line-up.

A busy Saturday for British entertainment television

The return lands alongside a different kind of change at The Voice UK. According to BBC News and Radio Times, its current run continues tonight, while the revamped series 15 arrives in 2027. Stacey Solomon and Alesha Dixon will host that future series, with Cheryl and Aitch joining returning coaches will.i.am and Kelly Rowland. The contrast is useful for viewers: SNL UK’s new series starts this evening, whereas The Voice UK’s announced overhaul is still ahead.

Music also has a substantial place elsewhere in tonight’s television schedule. The Last Night of the Proms takes place at the Royal Albert Hall, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo, according to the BBC and the Evening Standard. Its programme includes the Dolly Parton tribute medley To Dolly, With Love, featuring Sheridan Smith, Beverley Knight and Ward Thomas. The first half is broadcast on BBC Two and Radio 3, with the second half on BBC One.

Against that backdrop, SNL UK offers a different combination: topical comedy alongside a musical guest, rather than a singing competition or a concert programme. CMAT’s booking makes music part of the premiere’s appeal without changing its identity as a sketch show. For British viewers choosing what to watch, the distinction is about the kind of evening each programme offers, not an assumed contest over which will attract the largest audience. The different formats also leave room for different viewing priorities.

What happens next

The immediate appointment is 10pm BST tonight on Sky One and Now, with Goldblum hosting and CMAT as musical guest, according to The Guardian and Radio Times. The premiere will be the first opportunity to assess this second-series combination and see Meredith within the returning ensemble.

Saturday Night Live UK then continues on Saturdays, according to Radio Times. Beyond the opening-night names, the task is to turn a successful debut into a continuing programme that earns attention for its comedy. Tonight offers the first evidence of how the new run will approach that challenge.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the SNL UK season 2 premiere host?

Jeff Goldblum hosts the opening episode of the second series, according to Radio Times and Deadline. His guest appearance is tonight, Saturday 12 September 2026.

What time is Saturday Night Live UK on tonight?

The second-series premiere starts at 10pm BST on Saturday 12 September, according to The Guardian and Radio Times. Viewers can watch on Sky One and Now.

Is CMAT the musical guest on Saturday Night Live UK?

CMAT is the musical guest for tonight’s series 2 premiere, according to Radio Times and Deadline. She joins Jeff Goldblum, who takes the guest-host role.

Who is joining the Saturday Night Live UK season 2 cast?

Freddie Meredith joins the cast for the second series, according to The Guardian. Returning performers are also expected back for the new run.