Description: The October 24, 2026 sketch “Princess in the Tower” turns a British soft-drink brand change into a personal insult. Here is the context behind the laugh.
Lilt is the key: the famous British soda name was retired in 2023. A princess trapped in a tower throws a Lilt can at her would-be rescuer. A remark about the product being discontinued becomes the absurd comeback “You should be discontinued!” A term from retail suddenly becomes an insult aimed at a person.
What aired, and when?
Saturday Night Live UK series two, episode six aired on Sky One at 10 p.m. British Summer Time on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Cynthia Erivo hosted, and Blossoms performed. Sky and Peacock confirm the episode details. “Princess in the Tower” borrows a Rapunzel-like setting, with a princess awaiting rescue. But the fairytale dialogue descends into an argument: viewers especially enjoyed the characters' increasingly unrefined language. A report from the live recording describes the princess throwing a Lilt can at the rescuer.
What happened to Lilt?
Lilt was a pineapple-and-grapefruit fizzy drink known for its tropical branding in Britain. In February 2023, Coca-Cola announced it would become Fanta Pineapple & Grapefruit, saying the flavour would be retained. The important distinction is that the Lilt brand name disappeared, not that the announcement instantly erased the flavour. Discontinued is a plausible word for an old product label. Using it as a curse against a human being is ridiculous, especially in a supposedly medieval fairytale.
Why did people laugh?
In fan discussions dated October 24–26, viewers singled out the Lilt moment, asked whether the brand was discontinued and repeated the insult. Others praised the shift from elegant storybook diction to a coarse quarrel. These are identifiable responses within specific communities, not proof of a worldwide trend. The full broadcast was not directly watched for this article; scene details come from contemporary reporting and viewers, rather than an official transcript.
Bottom line
A romantic rescue becomes an argument about a British supermarket rebrand. Lilt lost its name; the princess wanted her rescuer discontinued too.
References (5)
- https://www.sky.com/watch/saturday-night-live-uk
- https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/saturday-night-live-u.k./4708213585513161112/seasons/2/episodes/cynthia-erivo-october-24-2026-episode-6/6fa6a0c5-12bf-39b3-ab66-55f17600c8aa
- https://www.coca-cola.com/gb/en/media-center/lilt-joins-fanta-family-fanta-pineapple-and-grapefruit
- https://www.reddit.com/r/livefromlondon/comments/1xeldyn/sketch_sorting_sunday_october_24th_2026_cynthia/
- https://citrixnews.cz/article/a-peek-into-snl-uk-strict-security-giddy-cynthia-erivo-and-sometimes-more-a-party-than-a-tv-set
