Jeff Goldblum Will Open SNL UK’s Second Season

Jeff Goldblum is taking the first hosting slot when Saturday Night Live UK returns for its second season. Sky has scheduled the premiere for September 12, with Irish singer-songwriter and Brit Award nominee CMAT appearing as the musical guest.

Goldblum brings real SNL history

The booking gives the British edition a host who already understands the show’s live rhythm. Goldblum hosted the original NBC series in 1993 and again in 1997, long before his recent run as the Wizard in the Wicked films. That experience should make him a particularly useful bridge between the American institution and its younger UK counterpart.

Sky has not yet revealed the other guest hosts lined up for the new season. The initial run will contain six episodes, followed by a break, before the program returns in early 2027. Tina Fey, Hannah Waddingham and Nicola Coughlan were among the hosts who helped establish the British version during its first season.

The full ensemble is coming back

The returning cast includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young. Keeping the ensemble intact gives the show continuity while Goldblum and CMAT supply fresh star power for the opening night.

The format is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK production team and Broadway Video. Longtime SNL architect Lorne Michaels remains an executive producer, while James Longman serves as lead producer.

Goldblum’s premiere assignment also underlines Sky’s commitment to building the adaptation beyond a one-season experiment. The broadcaster has publicly described the project as a long-term proposition, and the split second-season schedule gives it another opportunity to develop recurring characters and sharpen its own voice rather than simply imitate the US original.

For viewers, the immediate draw is a distinctly Goldblum opening: an actor known for eccentric comic timing, paired with a musician whose theatrical pop presence suits a live variety stage. The rest of the guest lineup remains the next major reveal.