“Saturday Night Live” UK’s Weekend Update took aim at Shane Gillis during its Oct. 17, 2026, broadcast, with co-host Ania Magliano criticizing comments the comedian made while hosting “Saturday Night Live” in New York the week before.
Magliano used her segment to call out Gillis over his opening monologue from his Oct. 10 hosting stint, where he joked about women’s gym attire. A photo of Gillis from that monologue appeared on screen during the SNL UK segment, drawing laughter from the studio audience, according to Variety.
What Happened On SNL UK’s Weekend Update
Magliano set up the bit with an unrelated story about an Oktoberfest ride operator in Munich who handed out free cycling shorts to female riders to stop them from being upskirted. “A ride operator at Munich Oktoberfest was praised for giving out free cycling shorts to female riders,” she said. “Wearing the gym shorts will protect women from being upskirted, but it does make them vulnerable to something much worse.”
That line led directly into her take on Gillis. “Last week on SNL, comedian Shane Gillis also caused controversy by dropping the f-bomb,” Magliano said, before adding, “Oh, Shane. You’re not allowed to say that, you stupid f******g c**t.”
The joke referenced two separate moments from Gillis’ hosting episode. During his monologue, Gillis had said, “I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like whores now? You’ve seen the shorts? They’re those neon, like, artificial bait-colored [shorts], and the wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole. And don’t look! You’re not allowed to look.”
Context Behind The Gillis Monologue
Gillis also used an f-bomb during that same monologue, a violation of NBC’s broadcast standards since profanity is not permitted on American network television. SNL UK, which airs on Sky One, operates under different rules that allow profanity on air, which is why Magliano was able to deliver her punchline without any bleeps.
The segment drew a contrast between the two versions of the franchise: where Gillis got flagged in the U.S. for language, Magliano’s U.K. counterpart faced no such restriction in mocking him for it.
Reaction From SNL’s American Weekend Update
Michael Che, who anchors Weekend Update on the American SNL, addressed the backlash to Gillis’ monologue in a separate appearance on Today. Che said comedy affects people differently, noting some viewers find a joke funny while others do not. He also said he had not seen the gym shorts joke until after Gillis’ episode had already aired.
Neither Gillis nor NBC has issued a separate statement responding to the SNL UK segment itself, based on what has been reported so far.
What’s Next
SNL UK continues its run on Sky One, with Weekend Update remaining a recurring segment on the show. “Saturday Night Live’s” American broadcast continues its own season on NBC, with future host and musical guest announcements expected to follow the network’s usual weekly rollout. Readers can check in on recent SNL episodes, including the Oct. 3 episode hosted by Dakota Johnson, for more on how the current season has unfolded.
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