Amelia Dimoldenberg jokes about Chicken Shop Date end on SNL UK debut
Amelia Dimoldenberg turned the end of Chicken Shop Date into her opening punchline as host of Saturday Night Live UK on 26 September 2026.
She led the third show of the sketch series' second run, with singer Rachel Chinouriri as musical guest, according to Sky listings. Her monologue, the opening solo address to the studio audience, centred on the YouTube interview series she had just closed down. Variety
Dimoldenberg revealed earlier this month that Chicken Shop Date would come to an end. On Saturday night she joked that celebrities had not come on the show to date her. They came to promote their work.
She singled out Andrew Garfield. When he told her he was looking forward to "the big release," she said, he had a film out. It got a laugh. A short one.
Chicken Shop Date was a YouTube series in which Dimoldenberg interviewed guests inside a fried chicken shop in a flirty and often awkward manner, as described by Deadline. It ran for more than 12 years and produced over 100 episodes, according to The Independent. Dimoldenberg confirmed the end of the series on 3 September 2026.
The timing puts the SNL UK booking in a clear slot. Dimoldenberg is pivoting to acting after closing Chicken Shop Date, according to Collider. The host job is live sketch comedy, a different test from a two-person interview set-up.
For viewers, this means a familiar face in a new format. No chicken shop. No edit. Ninety minutes live.
Saturday Night Live UK launched its first series on 21 March 2026 with an eight-episode run. The second series premiered on 12 September 2026 on Sky One and NOW with a 12-episode run, according to Sky. Jeff Goldblum opened the series with musical guest CMAT on 12 September, followed by Jamie Demetriou with Royal Blood on 19 September. Freddie Meredith joined the cast for series two.
