Hannah Waddingham (born 28 July 1974) is an English actress, singer, and television presenter. She is known for her roles on stage and screen and has received various accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for two BAFTA TV Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Laurence Olivier Awards.
Hannah Waddingham | |
|---|---|
 Waddingham in 2025 | |
| Born | 28 July 1974 Wandsworth, London, England |
| Education | Academy of Live and Recorded Arts |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
She gained stardom playing Rebecca Welton in the Apple TV+ comedy series Ted Lasso (2020–present), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Other notable television roles include playing Tonya Dyke in Benidorm (2014), Septa Unella in Game of Thrones (2015–2016), Jax-Ur in Krypton (2018–2019), and Sofia Marchetti in Sex Education (2019–2023). Furthermore, she voices Deliria in the animated series Krapopolis (2023-present), for which she earned an Emmy Award nomination. On film, she has acted in the musical Les Misérables (2012), the thriller Winter Ridge (2018), the animated film The Garfield Movie (2024), the action comedy The Fall Guy (2024), and the action film Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025).
On stage, she appeared in a number of West End musicals, earning three nominations for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances as Lady of the Lake in the Monty Python musical comedy Spamalot (2007), The Witch in "Into the Woods", Desirée Armfeldt in the Stephen Sondheim musical revival A Little Night Music (2010), and Katharine in the Cole Porter musical romance comedy Kiss Me, Kate (2013). She made her Broadway debut reprising her role in the New York City transfer of Spamalot (2008). Waddingham also co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023 and hosted the Laurence Olivier Awards twice in 2023 and 2024.
Early life and education
Hannah Waddingham was born on 28 July 1974 in Wandsworth, London. Waddingham is half-Manx; her mother Melodie Kelly is from Port Erin. Her mother was an opera singer, as were both of her maternal grandparents, joining the English National Opera when Waddingham was eight years old. She grew up around the theatre.
Waddingham is a graduate of the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. She has a four-octave vocal range. She started out in dinner theatre, performing in the interactive comedy Joey and Gina's Wedding, produced by Anthony and Joseph Tomaska.
Career
Stage career
Waddingham has been a stage actress on both London's West End and New York's Broadway. She made her West End debut in Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens at The Queens Theatre in 1998 and went on to star in Lautrec by Charles Aznavour in March 2000, then created the role of Christine Warner in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton’s The Beautiful Game, staying with the show for the year-long run at the Cambridge Theatre from September 2000. Further stage roles included Starbird in Space Family Robinson (Julian & Stephen Butler, 2002) and Satan in Tonight's the Night: The Rod Stewart Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 2003.
Waddingham portrayed the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, both in the London production and then on Broadway. She received an Olivier Award nomination for the role. She received outstanding reviews for her portrayal of Desirée Armfeldt in Trevor Nunn's revival of A Little Night Music. Waddingham subsequently received a further Olivier Award nomination in 2010 for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Night Music.
In mid-2010, Waddingham played the Witch in the production of Into the Woods at London's Open Air Theatre. She originated the role of The Wicked Witch of the West in the West End production of The Wizard of Oz, which opened on 1 March 2011 at the London Palladium and was the first to perform the new Lloyd Webber and Rice song "Red Shoes Blues". She left the production on 4 September 2011. Waddingham won the whatsonstage.com Theatergoers Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her performance.
In 2012, Waddingham starred in Chichester Festival Theatre's revival of Kiss Me, Kate. The show transferred to the Old Vic Theatre on London's South Bank in November 2012.
On 25 August 2023, Waddingham was announced as the host of the Fantasy, Myths and Legends Prom as part of that year's BBC Proms; on 28 August, she pulled out just hours before the performance, in solidarity with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Screen career
In 2011, Waddingham appeared in series 4, episode 3 of the BBC sitcom, Not Going Out. She played the role of Jane, an actress in an adult film being recorded in the show.
She had a small role in the 2012 film Les Misérables, and in 2014, she appeared in the ITV comedy Benidorm.
Waddingham portrayed the "Shame Nun", Septa Unella, in season 5 and 6 of Game of Thrones. She began filming her scenes nine weeks after the birth of her daughter and claims that she underwent actual waterboarding during filming so that the scene would look authentic. She was given the role's iconic "shame bell" as a parting gift. She also had a recurring role on the Netflix series Sex Education as Jackson's mother, Sophia Marchetti.
Since 2020, Waddingham has portrayed Rebecca Welton, the owner of AFC Richmond, on the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso. She did her own singing in the season one episode "Make Rebecca Great Again" and the season two episodes "Carol of the Bells" and "No Weddings and a Funeral". In 2021, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the role.
Waddingham also appears as the character Mother Witch in Hocus Pocus 2, Disney's sequel to Hocus Pocus released on Disney+ on 30 September 2022.
She portrayed Lady Bellaston in the ITV drama series Tom Jones, based on Henry Fielding's 1749 novel, inspired by the real life of Etheldreda Townshend.
In March 2023, Waddingham was announced as part of the cast for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
In May 2023, Waddingham co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, alongside Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, with Graham Norton joining them for the final.
Waddingham appeared in the 2024 action-comedy film The Fall Guy alongside Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, playing producer Gail.
Recordings
In 2000, Waddingham played the role of Christine in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton musical The Beautiful Game in London's West End. In October 2000, Waddingham (billed simply as "Hannah"), released a single of the song "Our Kind of Love" from the production. The single peaked at No. 41 in the UK charts.
She later sang the role of Starbird on the soundtrack recording of Space Family Robinson (composers: Julian Butler and Stephen Butler), released by Pop! Records in May 2002, coinciding with the stage production (also featuring Waddingham as Starbird) which ran for three weeks at London's Pleasance Theatre.
On 22 November 2023, Waddingham's debut album, a live album, was released. Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas was recorded at the show of the same name for Apple TV. The album debuted and peaked at numbers 51 and 43 on the UK Albums Downloads and Soundtrack Albums charts, respectively.
Personal life
Waddingham emigrated to Australia in 2012 but returned soon after. She was in a relationship with Italian businessman Gianluca Cugnetto for a decade. In 2014, they had a daughter named Kitty Cugnetto Waddingham who Waddingham has raised as a single parent since 2023.
Waddingham speaks French and Italian.
Her grandfather, Harry Waddingham (1916–2026), was a World War II veteran who lived to be 109 years old, and was the oldest living British World War II veteran at the time of his death.
Acting credits
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | How to Lose Friends & Alienate People | Elizabeth Maddox | |
| 2012 | Les Misérables | Factory Worker | |
| 2015 | Meet Pursuit Delange: The Movie | Maddie Forrester | |
| 2016 | The Gatehouse | The Agent | |
| 2018 | Winter Ridge | Joanne Hill | |
| 2019 | The Hustle | Shiraz | |
| 2022 | Hocus Pocus 2 | Mother Witch | |
| 2024 | The Fall Guy | Gail Meyer | |
| The Garfield Movie | Jinx | Voice | |
| 2025 | Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning | Admiral Neely | |
| Lilo & Stitch | Grand Councilwoman | Voice | |
| Smurfs | Jezebeth | Voice | |
| The Woman in Cabin 10 | Heidi Heatherley | ||
| 2026 | High in the Clouds † | Gretsch | Voice; In production |
| TBA | Mr. Sunny Sky † | TBA | In production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Coupling | Jenny Turbot | Episode: "Split" |
| Brookside | Georgina Savage | 3 episodes | |
| 2003 | My Hero | Miranda | Episode: "Time and Time Again" |
| 2005 | William and Mary | Penelope | Episode: #3.3 |
| Footballers' Wives | Jools | Episode: #4.9 | |
| Hollyoaks: Let Loose | Mrs. Robertson | 3 episodes | |
| 2006 | My Hero | Lula | Episode: "Sidekick" |
| The Only Boy for Me | Melissa | Television film | |
| 2008 | Doctors | Dixie Deadman | Episode: "Miss Letherbridge" |
| 2010 | Jacky Parnell | Episode: "Occupational Hazard" | |
| 2012 | Rhonda Stowell | Episode: "The Promise" | |
| 2015 | Becky Harmison | Episode: "Subsidence" | |
| 2009 | M.I. High | Alannah Sucrose | Episode: "The Glove" |
| 2010 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Lola Brewster | Episode: "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side" |
| 2010–2011 | My Family | Katie | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Not Going Out | Jane | Episode: "Movie" |
| 2012 | Bad Education | Loretta | Episode: "Self-Defence" |
| 2014 | Benidorm | Tonya Dyke | 7 episodes (Series 6) |
| Our Gay Wedding: The Musical | Herself | Channel 4 TV special | |
| 2015 | Partners in Crime | Blonde Assassin | 3 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Game of Thrones | Septa Unella | 8 episodes |
| 2016 | In the Club | Dr. Stone | 4 episodes |
| Josh | Phillipa | Episode: "Close-up and Long Shot" | |
| The Entire Universe | Time & Space | Television film | |
| 2017 | 12 Monkeys | Magdalena | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Bad Move | Imelda | Episode: "Big Deal" |
| 2018–2019 | Krypton | Jax-Ur | 13 episodes |
| 2019–2023 | Sex Education | Sofía Marchetti | 11 episodes |
| 2020–present | Ted Lasso | Rebecca Welton | Main role |
| 2021 | Midsomer Murders | Mimi Dagmar | Episode: "The Stitcher Society" |
| Murder, They Hope | Chief Inspector Henrietta Shepherd | Episode: "Dales of the Unexpected" | |
| 2022 | Willow | Hubert | Episode: "The Battle of the Slaughtered Lamb" |
| RuPaul's Drag Race UK | Guest judge | Series 4; "Lairy Poppins: The Rusical" | |
| 2023 | Tom Jones | Lady Bellaston | 3 episodes |
| Eurovision Song Contest | Co-presenter | Presenter for semi-finals and grand final | |
| Earthshot Prize | Co-presenter | Alongside Sterling K. Brown | |
| Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas | Herself | Holiday special for Apple TV+ | |
| The Olivier Awards 2023 | Host | Awards ceremony | |
| 2023–present | Krapopolis | Deliria | Main voice role |
| 2024 | Tiddler | Narrator | Voice, television film |
| The Olivier Awards 2024 | Host | Awards ceremony | |
| 2025 | British Legion Festival of Remembrance | Host | Ceremony |
| TBA | Ride or Die† | Judith | Filming |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Face the Music | Miss Eisenheimer | Barbican Theatre | London |
| 1998 | Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens | Shirley Tristar/Chesty Prospects | Queen's Theatre | West End |
| 2000 | Lautrec | Suzanne Valadon | Queen's Theatre | West End |
| 2000–2001 | The Beautiful Game | Christine | Cambridge Theatre | West End |
| 2002 | Space Family Robinson | Starbird | Pleasance Theatre Islington | London |
| 2003 | Tonight's the Night | Satan | Victoria Palace Theatre | West End |
| 2006 | Bad Girls: The Musical | Nikki Wade | West Yorkshire Playhouse | Leeds |
| 2006–2007 | Spamalot | Lady of the Lake | Palace Theatre | West End |
| 2008 | Shubert Theatre | Broadway | ||
| 2009 | A Little Night Music | Desirée Armfeldt | Menier Chocolate Factory | West End |
| Garrick Theatre | ||||
| 2010 | Into the Woods | The Witch | Regent's Park Open Air Theatre | London |
| 2011 | The Wizard of Oz | Miss Gulch / Wicked Witch | London Palladium | West End |
| Soho Cinders Gala Concert | Marilyn Platt | Queen's Theatre | ||
| 2012 | Kiss Me, Kate | Lilli Vanessi / Katharina Minola | Chichester Festival Theatre | Chichester |
| 2012–2013 | The Old Vic | London | ||
| 2013 | A Little Hotel on the Side | Mme. Angelique Pinglet | Theatre Royal | Bath |
| 2015 | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Hedy LaRue | Royal Festival Hall | London |
Discography
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas |
|
Awards and nominations
| Organization | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Academy Television Awards | 2024 | Best Entertainment Performance | Eurovision Song Contest 2023 | Nominated | |
| Best Entertainment Programme | Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas | Nominated | |||
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | 2021 | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ted Lasso (season one) | Won | |
| 2022 | Ted Lasso (season two) | Won | |||
| Golden Globe Awards | 2021 | Best Supporting Actress – Television | Ted Lasso (season one) | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Best Supporting Actress – Television | Ted Lasso (season three) | Nominated | ||
| HCA TV Awards | 2021 | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ted Lasso | Won | |
| International Film Festival of Wales | 2018 | Best Supporting Actress | Winter Ridge | Won | |
| Laurence Olivier Awards | 2007 | Best Actress in a Musical | Spamalot | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Best Actress in a Musical | A Little Night Music | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Kiss Me, Kate | Nominated | |||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2021 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ted Lasso (episode: "All Apologies") | Won | |
| 2022 | Ted Lasso (episode: "No Weddings and a Funeral") | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Ted Lasso (episode: "International Break") | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Krapopolis (episode: "Big Man on Hippocampus") | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | 2021 | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Ted Lasso (season one) | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Ted Lasso (season two) | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Won | ||||
| 2023 | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Ted Lasso (season three) | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||||
| TCA Awards | 2021 | Individual Achievement in Comedy | Ted Lasso | Nominated | |
| WhatsOnStage Awards | 2007 | Best Actress in a Musical | Spamalot | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Best Actress in a Musical | A Little Night Music | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Best Actress in a Musical | Kiss Me, Kate | Nominated |
See also
- List of British actors
- List of Primetime Emmy Award winners