Aimee Lou Wood hosted this week’s SNL UK, and rather than lean into the “relatable” label that seems to follow her around, she opened by politely chucking it in the bin. The Sex Education and The White Lotus star used her monologue to poke fun at the public idea of her as bubbly, down-to-earth and endlessly approachable, insisting she is actually far stranger than people give her credit for.
“Ever since I got famous, all I ever hear is how relatable I am, how bubbly I am,” Wood said. “But I’m here tonight to put those vicious rumours to rest, because, you know what, I’m a freak. I am a weird lady.” She doubled down, joking that she might sound “like that fun Mancunian girl you lived in uni halls with” or “your cousin’s super sweet partner with the job you can’t quite remember,” before declaring: “But I, Aimee Lou Wood, am a certified card-carrying goddamn weirdo.” It was a very Aimee Lou Wood way to open: self-aware, chaotic in the best way, and just enough astrology chat to make the Scorpio Moon girlies feel seen.
Wood also gave quick nods to two of her best-known shows, telling the audience: “You might know me from Sex Education, the show that took the shame out of getting freaky.” She followed it with a much more cursed White Lotus punchline about the show’s now-infamous brotherly scandal, joking that it “puts the shame right back in there.”
Wood had previously criticised a US Saturday Night Live sketch about The White Lotus, which saw Sarah Sherman wear exaggerated false teeth as a version of Wood’s character Chelsea. At the time, Wood called the sketch “mean and unfunny,” and the backlash became a major talking point online. Rather than ignore it, SNL UK got ahead of the story in a promo earlier this week, with Wood joking that she wanted to “wipe the slate clean” after “the whole thing in America with the teeth.” It was a clever way to acknowledge the awkwardness without letting it overshadow her hosting turn.
And to be fair, she looked right at home. Viewers were quick to praise Wood’s energy, with many calling her one of the strongest hosts of the season so far. Her Davina McCall impression also seemed to go down particularly well online, and it is exactly the sort of very British reference this version of the show needs.
Elsewhere in the episode, Wood appeared in an ’80s-style pop video as a singer with terrible coordination, riffed on Kim Cattrall’s infamous scat singing clip, and stepped into video game territory as Princess Peach opposite George Fouracres as Mario in a Super Mario Bros. skit. British singer-songwriter MEEK was this week’s musical guest, with the live performance slot giving the episode a breather between sketches.
The episode also included a Doctor Who sketch, with Wood appearing alongside Hammed Animashaun as the Doctor. Wood played his assistant in a scene that saw the pair step out of the Tardis and come face to face with a properly grim-looking monster. Russell T Davies was in the studio for the episode and praised the show on Instagram afterwards, calling it “one of the best nights ever” and adding: “What a cast, what a crew, what a production.” He also shouted out the Doctor Who sketch, writing that the show was “wildly funny, and so British,” before calling the episode “Genius! An absolute triumph.”
Coming from Davies, that is pretty much the British telly nerd equivalent of getting a royal seal of approval, sonic screwdriver and all.
The episode also kept SNL UK’s topical streak going. The cold open featured Keir Starmer hijacking the royal plane as King Charles and Queen Camilla returned from a royal visit to the US, after realising he could not be removed from office if the plane simply stayed in the air. “What other choice did I have, do a good job?” he asked, which is brutal and, sadly, quite believable as political satire. Weekend Update also went big, with co-host Ania Magliano covering the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in the kind of blunt, ridiculous style that has become one of the UK edition’s better habits.
Wood joins a growing SNL UK host list that has already included Tina Fey and Nicola Coughlan, whose episode brought its own mix of weird sketches and big laughs.
For CultureCues, Wood’s episode feels like a good sign for SNL UK. It still had the odd wobble, but that is part of the deal with live comedy, and the rougher edges can sometimes make it more fun. When the host is this game and the writing leans into properly British weirdness, the show becomes properly entertaining.
Originally planned for six episodes, SNL UK has since been extended to eight, with Hannah Waddingham and Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa still to host.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling, emerging voices and the cultural moments shaping modern entertainment.