Saturday Night Live Can’t Escape the Outdated Part of Its Past: Cue Cards
A tradition questioned in Britain
The British team behind SNL UK initially regarded cue cards as an unnecessarily cumbersome way to deliver lines. An autocue seemed like a more advanced option, and Sky UK's Unscripted Originals Executive Director Phil Edgar-Jones recalled the team’s disbelief at the American show’s continued use of cards.
At the Edinburgh TV Festival 2026, Edgar-Jones, James Longman and Liz Clare discussed how the British production came to rely on the system. They also credited veteran Wally Feresten, the American show’s head cue-card holder for more than 35 years.
Why live sketches need flexibility
The scripts change too often for performers to memorize every line. Cue cards let cast members read revisions while preserving the camera work, and give the show room to change material until transmission.
That combination of quick changes and live performance makes the cards useful despite the availability of autocue technology. SNL UK learned that the format’s practical needs could outweigh the appeal of replacing a familiar system.
Not every method needs updating
The experience points to a broader challenge in modernizing Saturday Night Live after more than 50 years. Some of its unusual production methods are closely tied to the way the show works, rather than being habits that can easily be discarded.
With John Mulaney returning to host a new episode that night, handwritten cards were again set to help Studio 8H run. For the British team, understanding the American format meant recognizing that not every part of it needed an update.
Key points
- SNL UK initially preferred an autocue to the American show’s handwritten cue cards.
- Live scripts change too frequently for cast members to rely on memorization.
- Cue cards help performers follow revisions without compromising camera work.
- The British team concluded that some longstanding production methods remain essential.