SNL UK Cold Open: Starmer Enlists Kane, Colman, Peppa Pig
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- "SNL U.K." opened its third episode with a Keir Starmer cold open sketch, with George Fouracres playing the PM attempting to rally the nation against war fears and a cost of living crisis.
- Fouracres' Starmer self-deprecatingly quipped that when he applied to join the Samaritans, he "brought the vibe down so much that the interviewer called the Samaritans."
- Harry Kane (played by Al Nash) was summoned for one of his "rousing team talks," followed by Olivia Colman (Emma Sidi), introduced as "a Briton with a smile that could light up a room, which could be useful when the power runs out."
- Sidi's Colman quipped about "flirting with Iran and playing with oil," warning of energy shortages and "snogging in the dark," before a scripted power cut played out the gag.
- Annabel Marlow's Peppa Pig appeared in a fake snout and pig ears, called Starmer "Daddy Keir," and offered grim comfort: "Life is hell, but it doesn't last long, and soon the sadness will end."
- Riz Ahmed hosted the third episode with musical guest Kasabian, following Tina Fey and Jamie Dornan as hosts of the first two episodes.
Why it matters: The sketch leans on Starmer's perceived struggle to project optimism during a period of public anxiety, using each celebrity cameo to land a punchline tied to current UK anxieties — sporting inspiration, energy crises and foreign policy missteps, and grimly cheerful nihilism — making it a barometer of how the PM's image is being satirized on a high-profile launch vehicle.
