‘SNL UK’ parodied Ed Sheeran over his political neutrality amid the Macklemore tour controversy in a hilarious cold open with King Charles.
‘SNL UK’ Parodies Ed Sheeran’s Tour Controversy
SNL UK’ Skewers Ed Sheeran for ‘Sitting on the Fence’ Amid Tour Backlash
LONDON — In the Season 2 premiere of Saturday Night Live UK, the comedy sketch series took direct aim at global pop superstar Ed Sheeran. The show lampooned the singer’s insistence on maintaining political neutrality following intense scrutiny surrounding his current Loop Tour.
The cold open merged three of the week’s biggest news topics into one surreal sketch: artificial intelligence, British royalty, and Sheeran’s recent public statements.
An AI Princess Diana, King Charles, and Extreme Neutrality
The cold open began at Buckingham Palace with King Charles (played by Larry Dean) meeting tech billionaires who introduce him to D.I.A.N.A.—an acronym for “Deeply Intelligent Autonomous Neurokinetic Android” wearing the late Princess of Wales’ famous “Revenge Dress.”
When the AI robot goes haywire, turning on its creators and threatening humanity, King Charles declares that a war between humans and robots has begun. That is when a fictionalized Ed Sheeran (played by cast member Annabel Marlow) strolls into the room.
“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation,” Marlow’s Sheeran explains. “See, I was just outside sitting on the fence.”
When the King pleads for help to stop the rogue robot, Sheeran’s character refuses to intervene or take a side:
“Thing is, Your Majesty, I don’t like to take sides. I don’t want to alienate any of my fans, humans or robots. A lot of my tickets are bought by scalping bots. You know, sometimes when it comes to conflicts, the bravest thing you can do is to say nothing at all.”
Sheeran’s character then breaks out an acoustic guitar to perform a comical ballad about how “both sides are equally right.”
| Sketch Element | Parody Focus |
| King Charles & AI | AI technology threats and royal family dynamics |
| D.I.A.N.A. Android | Princess Diana’s pop-culture legacy |
| Ed Sheeran Parody | Refusal to take political stances or make public statements |
The Backlash Behind the Comedy
The satire stems from real-world controversy surrounding Sheeran’s Loop Tour after rapper Macklemore was removed from remaining U.S. concert dates following pro-Palestinian remarks and criticism of Israeli military actions in Gaza.
Addressing fans from the stage, Sheeran clarified that the decision was made by tour promoters, stating that he does not view his professional concerts as political platforms and strives to keep his shows a “safe space for everyone.”
SNL UK brought the theme back during its Weekend Update segment, hosted by Ania Magliano and Paddy Young, where Magliano joked that the recent press cycle was “the worst thing to happen to Ed Sheeran fans since a head injury,” capping off a double-dose of satire at the pop star’s expense.
You can watch a commentary breakdown of the sketch in this SNL UK Ed Sheeran Skit Video. This clip offers additional context and details on how Saturday Night Live UK handled the parody during its season premiere.
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