Nocturnal 
Amelia Dimoldenberg wasted no time getting stuck in on her first night as an SNL UK host, taking a swipe at Ed Sheeran within minutes of her opening monologue.
The Chicken Shop Date creator, who has previously interviewed Sheeran for her own YouTube series, told the studio audience she’d been “incredibly privileged” to have interviewed stars including Idris Elba and Cher, before pivoting to a much less flattering comparison.
She joked about having also sat down with “a world famous red-headed puppet with a hand up his arse telling him what to say”, before clarifying she meant Elmo rather than Sheeran himself, as reported by UNILAD, the Independent and Metro.
A running joke on the show
Sheeran has become an unlikely recurring target for SNL UK’s writers. The singer was reportedly mocked on the programme the previous week too, according to Sick Chirpse, suggesting producers have found a bit they’re keen to keep running into the new series.
It’s not clear from the broadcast exactly why Sheeran has become such a frequent punchline on the show, and Nocturnal News has not seen any response from him or his representatives to the joke.
Dimoldenberg’s big new gig
The appearance marks Dimoldenberg’s debut as an SNL UK host, following her announcement alongside Stath Lets Flats star Jamie Demetriou as guest presenters for season two, as first reported by Yahoo News UK.
Demetriou took the reins for the season’s second episode, with Royal Blood providing the musical performance, while Dimoldenberg followed in the next outing with singer Rachel Chinouriri as musical guest. Jeff Goldblum had opened the season by hosting the premiere.
Dimoldenberg is best known for Chicken Shop Date, the deadpan interview series she’s fronted for over a decade, featuring guests from A-list actors to musicians such as Sheeran. The show has previously been reported to be ending after a 12-year run, adding extra weight to her move into hosting a major sketch show.
SNL UK’s returning season features the show’s full existing cast, including Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres and Emma Sidi, among others. The series is produced for Sky by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK team and Broadway Video, with Lorne Michaels serving as executive producer.
Where things stand now
Season one of SNL UK featured hosts including Tina Fey, Hannah Waddingham and Nicola Coughlan, and the new run is set to continue for six episodes before returning in early 2027.
For now, Dimoldenberg’s monologue has given the show another viral Ed Sheeran moment to add to its growing collection, with clips of the joke already circulating widely online. Neither Sheeran nor his team have commented publicly on the gag.
