All articles tagged with #uk television
Tina Fey opens SNL UK with a profanity-laden monologue on SkyTV, joking about the choice of a US host for the first edition and hinting at the show's edgier UK tone, while the rest of the package covers a Los Angeles Times piece on streaming's impact and Nexstar’s expanding reach, the cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and a new Reggie Dinkins clip.
SNL UK premiered on Sky One to about 226,000 viewers (3.2% share) at 10pm, beating Channel 4 in the same slot, while BBC News led the hour with nearly 2M viewers. NBC’s US version started much smaller (6,800 viewers) and last week’s guest host drew around 4,550, illustrating a fragmented landscape. Sky says overnight ratings are only one signal and will also count Now streaming views and clip virality, suggesting the UK edition could grow as audiences shift to on-demand and social clips.
Prue Leith announced on Instagram that she’s stepping down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off after nine series, saying that at 86 it’s the right time to step back and pursue other interests, while she will miss her co-judge Paul Hollywood and hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding; colleagues praised her as a national treasure and the show thanked her for nine brilliant years.
British TV presenter Jay Blades, known for hosting 'The Repair Shop,' has been charged with two counts of rape and is scheduled to appear in court. The show, which has won awards including a BAFTA, is no longer associated with him. The charges add to recent controversies involving BBC personalities.
Gary Goldsmith, uncle of Catherine, Princess of Wales, has joined the "Celebrity Big Brother" house in the UK, sparking criticism due to his past behavior. Goldsmith, known for his checkered past, described himself as "an absolute nightmare to live with" and has faced backlash for his appearance on the show following a violent incident in 2017. Other contestants include Sharon Osbourne, Marisha Wallace, Louis Walsh, Nikita Kuzmin, and Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.