Prince Harry was ‘serious’ candidate to host Saturday Night Live
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The Duke of Sussex hoped to host Saturday Night Live and was “really serious about doing it” before talks stalled at the 11th hour, it has been claimed.
Prince Harry was said to be keen to host the long-running US sketch show as part of last month's publicity blitz surrounding the publication of his memoir, Spare.
A well-placed source told the New York Post’s Page Six column: “I know that Harry was all in, he was really serious about doing it — and it would have been great fun as promo for the book.
Another industry source confirmed: “There’s always lots of names in the mix, but Harry was definitely a name being discussed.”
It is not known why the talks stalled but in the event, the Duke opted to be interviewed by Anderson Cooper on his show, 60 Minutes, and Stephen Colbert for The Late Show, both on CBS.
Lorne Michaels, Saturday Night Live’s executive producer, is said to remain keen to have Prince Harry on the show, with sources suggesting he could appear in a sketch rather than as host.
The comedy show has a long history of mocking the Royal family.
Fred Armisen, an actor and comedian, often played Queen Elizabeth II as a Cockney mob boss while fellow comedian Martin Short appeared in a 2012 sketch set at the Princess of Wales’s first antenatal hospital appointment when she was pregnant with Prince George.
Poking fun
Last weekend, the show is said to have poked fun at the royals again when comedians played two British rappers and former Eton schoolmates called Milly Pounds and Shirty.
Co-host Michael Che asked the pair: “So, guys, what’s going on with the royal family? Can you give us an update?”
Austin Johnson, as Pounds, said: “Right, right, OK, listen, mate. OK, all the focus is on the royals, right, when it should be on Britain’s exploitative tabloid press. It’s pants, mate. Rubbish. Pants.”
He added: “They’re mean to our boy Harry, all right. We know what really goes down. We’ve known Harry since our days at Eton.”
Austin then began to rap: “Prince Harry, Prince Harry, stayed over at Tyler Perry’s. Press cold like Ben and Jerry’s. I’m allergic to dairy.”
Devon Walker, as Shirty, continued: “Harry and Meghan, Ronald Reagan, interracial dating, Queen said, ‘Not today, Satan'.”
In Nov 2021, the Duchess of Sussex took part in a prank segment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
A spokesman for the Duke has not yet responded to a request for comment.
