“The code word is Pizza Express Woking.”
It was only a matter of time before Saturday Night Live UK‘s cold open took on the former Prince Andrew. The second SNL UK did just that, roasting now plain Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with a sketch turning the clock back to 1997.
In this week’s cold open, a young Prince Andrew, played by Jack Shep, who last week went viral with his Princess Diana impression, meets with MI5 agents.
His task: a 29-year-long plan to make the future King Charles III, then just a humble prince, as likeable as possible for when he eventually becomes King. “I love my brother, love my country and am willing to do whatever it takes,” he says. That task involves all the other members of the royal family, including Prince Harry and Prince William, “decreasing their likeability” to make Charles look good.
Reading the 29-year plan back to the agents, Andrew brings Jeffrey Epstein into the picture as he utters: “And you actually want me to do all this stuff? Even the bit about befriending a notorious paedophile? Before and after he’s convicted?”
To audience titters, he is then joined by fellow Epstein confidante Peter Mandelson, played by Larry Dean. “The most honorable, ethical politician we have,” Andrew says. “No one will believe he is corruptible.” Both have been arrested in recent weeks after appearing in the Epstein Files.
The agents in the cold open conclude by telling Andrew that the code word to get him out of the 29-year plan is “Pizza Express Woking,” a reference to his notorious alibi given in his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview about his relationship with Epstein. “I’m not sure I’d ever be able to fit that into conversation but I’ll make it sound as natural as possible,” he says.
SNL UK is into its second week and its first hosted by someone from outside of the States, in this case Jamie Dornan.
Dornan’s intro kicked off with jokes about Fifty Shades of Grey, potatoes and a special appearance from fellow Irishman Chris O’Dowd.
Last week’s first-ever cold open poked fun at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cowering relationship with Donald Trump. Speaking to Deadline before launch earlier this month, head writer Daran Jonno Johnson said: “I guess we have two equivalents of the White House” in the UK. “We have Buckingham Palace and we have [the Prime Minister’s residence] 10 Downing Street and as a result there is this overlapping group of characters. I think we’ll find some good angles on that.”
SNL UK is airing for the next seven weeks at 10 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. PT) on Saturdays, with each ep dropping on Peacock in the States the following day. Cast features Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young.
A health dose of skepticism preceded last week’s opener of a quintessentially American show that many thought wouldn’t work so well in the UK, but it was met with generally good reviews and strong ratings. Next week Riz Ahmed will take the reins.