On September 26, 2026, Chicken Shop Date host Amelia Dimoldenberg delivered a scathing opening monologue on Saturday Night Live UK on Sky One, comparing Ed Sheeran to a “world-famous, red-headed puppet with a hand up his arse telling him what to say” amid ongoing backlash over the removal of opening act Macklemore.
The Bottom Line
- Amelia Dimoldenberg targeted Ed Sheeran during her SNL UK opening monologue on September 26, 2026, comparing the singer to a puppet.
- The roast directly addressed the fallout from Sheeran’s tour management dropping rapper Macklemore after pro-Palestine remarks at MetLife Stadium.
- Sheeran’s upcoming Loop Tour shows at Robert Kraft’s Gillette Stadium on September 25 and 26 were canceled due to a nor’easter.
Amelia Dimoldenberg Delivers a Brutal Roast on SNL UK
The second series of Saturday Night Live UK delivered its cultural critique on September 26, 2026. Stepping up to host the third episode of the season, Chicken Shop Date star Amelia Dimoldenberg used her opening monologue to skewer singer Ed Sheeran over his handling of recent tour controversies.
“I’ve been incredibly privileged to have done so many interviews with people like Idris Elba, Cher, and even a world-famous, red-headed puppet with a hand up his a**e telling him what to say,” Dimoldenberg told the Sky One audience. As an image of Sesame Street icon Elmo flashed on screen, she quipped, “No, the other one.” The display then transitioned to a photo of Dimoldenberg with Sheeran from his 2021 appearance on her digital series, drawing laughs and cheers from the crowd.
The Macklemore Fallout and the Loop Tour Crisis
The biting joke on SNL UK was not born in a vacuum; it directly targeted the industry fallout sparked earlier that month. The decision triggered friction across the music community.
While supporting acts and even members of Sheeran’s backing band voluntarily walked away from the Loop Tour in solidarity with Macklemore, billionaire Robert Kraft reportedly issued an ultimatum regarding Gillette Stadium. Macklemore publicly claimed that Kraft threatened to bar the tour from performing at the venue unless the rapper was removed. Sheeran later addressed the crowd at his September 19 Philadelphia concert, stating that the removal was “the promoter’s decision, not mine,” while apologizing for making mistakes during a difficult week.
Weather Cancellations Compound a Brutal Week
The cultural backlash and satirical late-night barbs arrived alongside immediate logistical hurdles for the tour. Sheeran was scheduled to perform two nights at Robert Kraft’s Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26. However, those stadium dates were canceled due to a nor’easter sweeping the region.
SNL UK had already established a pattern of targeting the singer during the previous week’s broadcast. The show’s cold open featured a satirical version of Sheeran played by Annabel Marlow commenting on the perils of artificial intelligence and public silence, while cast members Ania Magliano and Paddy Young used the Weekend Update segment to mock both the tour controversy and the singer. With social media users praising Dimoldenberg’s latest appearance for cooking the pop star “harder than fried chicken,” Sheeran’s ongoing tour faces a hostile court of public opinion.
| Event / Date | Key Development | Primary Location |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (Early) | Macklemore dropped from Loop Tour after “Free Palestine” chants | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
| September 19, 2026 | Sheeran addresses controversy and apologizes to fans on stage | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| September 25–26, 2026 | Loop Tour concerts canceled due to nor’easter weather | Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts |
| September 26, 2026 | Amelia Dimoldenberg hosts and roasts Sheeran on SNL UK | Sky One, United Kingdom |
