'SNL UK' gives its own take on Melania Trump's Epstein statement

Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYSun, April 12, 2026 at 4:54 PM UTC

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When it came to picking a topic for their cold opens this week, the U.S. and UK versions of "Saturday Night Live" were both on the same page.

Like its American counterpart, "Saturday Night Live UK" kicked off its April 11 episode with a sketch spoofing first lady Melania Trump's recent remarks denying that she had knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's abuses or was a victim of his.

The UK version took place at a cookout, where three friends were playing "never have I ever" when the first lady (played by Emma Sidi) abruptly showed up uninvited. "Never have I ever been friends with Jeffrey Epstein," she declared after popping up from a shrub, adding that she is "here to stop you nasty people spreading rumors about me."

As the sketch continued, she kept bringing up Epstein unprompted during other games, leading the friends to wonder why she won't let the topic go.

"Your husband literally started a war to distract us from it," one of them said.

'SNL' cold open: The show spoofs Melania Trump's 'big, random' Epstein speech

When the friends tried to leave, the first lady begged for another chance to hang out, saying she has "no friends, since they all randomly died in a maximum security prison."

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During an unusual press event this week, Melania Trump said she "never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims" and was never friends with the convicted sex offender. "I am not Epstein's victim," she said.

The statement was also parodied during the cold open of the U.S. version of "Saturday Night Live," and both shows took the angle that the remarks seemed like they came out of nowhere.

In the American version, President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) took a call from his wife (Chloe Fineman) in the Oval Office, who told him she was planning to do a "big, random speech, completely out of nowhere, and say I am not Epstein victim." The president expressed skepticism, telling her, "Darling, I gotta admit, that sounds a little insane. Who are you, me?"

Compared to the UK version, the U.S. sketch placed a bit more emphasis on the idea that the first lady's statement actually made her sound more suspicious, with Fineman's Trump saying she planned to also say she "in no way helped out the Gilgo Beach serial killer" and "barely partied with Diddy."

'SNL UK': The comedy sketch jokes that Trump wants to 'start World War III,' mocks Prince Andrew

First lady Melania Trump delivers a statement in the White House on April 9, 2026.

"Saturday Night Live UK," a British spinoff following a similar format as the American version, premiered in March, with Tina Fey serving as the first-ever host.

"SNL UK" has been airing new episodes on the same day as the U.S. version, though this was the first time the two shows had dueling cold opens in the same week covering the same topic. Previous cold opens on "SNL UK" have been centered around British figures, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the former Prince Andrew.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'SNL UK' cold open also parodies Melania Trump's Epstein remarks

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”