During her opening monologue on “Saturday Night Live U.K.,” host Nicola Coughlan got a little assistance from “SNL” legend Jimmy Fallon, who joined the “Bridgerton” star for a chaotic studio tour and an explicit rap about her new family film “The Magic Faraway Tree.”
Coughlan kicked off her monologue by poking fun at her “Bridgerton” character, saying she “played an aristocrat who came out as a messy bitch who lives for drama,” and joking that she decided to channel the “magic” of the original ’70s “SNL” by consuming a “staggering amount of cocaine.”
“It’s an honor to be hosting. It sort of feels like I manifested it somehow — it’s almost like this place is like magic,” Coughlan said as Fallon appeared. “That’s because it is!” he said.
Fallon then shared with Coughlan the “biggest secret of ‘SNL.’” “Well, don’t tell anyone, but it’s live,” Fallon said. “It’s actually live. I mean, you can do whatever you want, you can go wherever you want. You’re the host. They don’t stop you.”
The two then embarked on a chaotic studio tour, taking the cameras backstage to mess with “Weekend Update” hosts Ania Magliano and Paddy Young as well as cast members George Fouracres and Hammed Animashaun. Fallon even dared Coughlan to ask Dave Grohl — who is serving as musical guest with his band Foo Fighters — to be her best friend. “Because we’re live, he has to say yes,” Fallon said.
“Mr. Dave Grohl, will you be my best friend?” Coughlan asked, to which Grohl replied “Sure, why not!”
After Coughlan’s monologue, the show immediately segued into a digital short spoofing her latest film “The Magic Faraway Tree,” which is based on a children’s book. In the sketch, Coughlan tells studio execs that she wrote a rap song and recorded a music video to promote the movie, which as it turns out, is actually very explicit.
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“It’s the faraway tree, and it’s magic as fuck,” Coughlan raps sporting a big jacket and braids. “Thick leaves, Nicky C and a magical trunk.”
Other lyrics include: “Critics agree, man this movie’s a blast. Except for The Times, who can eat my ass!”
Fallon then features in the video as an on-set caterer, rapping: “My name is Keith/ I did the on-set catering/ For when the cast and crew’s energy is wavering/ Anything they need, you know I would get it/ Hey look, here’s my fucking name in the credits.”
To end the sketch, Coughlan reveals that she and Keith “actually started dating on the movie, and let me tell you, things got pretty freaky.”
Coughlan’s stint as host marks the first episode after “SNL U.K.” took a mid-season hiatus. Alongside Fey, previous hosts have also included Jamie Dornan, Riz Ahmed and Jack Whitehall.
From Variety US