AFTER HER EARTHSHOT HOT APPEARANCE
HOW THE BRITISH ACTRESS HAS BECOME ONE OF THE SHOWBIZ WORLD’S HOT TEST STARS
There’s no stopping Hannah Waddingham. She’s been waiting in the wings, it seems, for some time, but now it’s her turn to shine – and she couldn’t be more dazzling. Since emerging from the shadows in 2020 with her role in the awardwinning comedy Ted Lasso,, the singer and actress has hosted both the Eurovision Song Contest and the Olivier Awards, is the face of this year’s Marks & Spencer Christmas campaign, has been tipped by William Hill to step into Holly Willoughby’s shoes on This Morning and almost stole the show in a pre-loved black and emerald Suzanne Neville ballgown to co-host the Prince of Wales’s Earthshot Prize in Singapore.
At this rate, no one would raise an eyebrow if the star, who exudes old-school Hollywood glamour, announced she was running for Prime Minister.
She’s already been crowned “the real queen of England” by PinkNews, , while TV chef Nigella Lawson and presenter Carol Vorderman have publicly declared themselves big fans.
Hannah, now 49, has also proved that women approaching their sixth decade are not just relevant, but valuable.
“It feels a real responsibility for women of a certain age,” she said, shortly after reaching a whole new level of stardom in Ted Lasso.. “I think it’s reassuring that here I am, at the age of 47, with the greatest success of my career. I find it odd and quite funny and I’m actually quite glad.
“People have gone: ‘Oh, wouldn’t it have been nicer if it had happened younger?’ No! I think, in terms of suddenly your career going into warp speed, I can see why younger people lose their s**t. Whereas me, yes, it’s amazing… but by 47, you kind of know who you are.”
DREAM ROLE
Hannah, who has an eight-year-old daughter, Kitty, with her former partner, hotelier Gianluca Cugnetto, had a thriving career in musical theatre before landing the role as the redoubtable football club owner Rebecca Welton.
Her character is a tough but vulnerable divorcée who owns AFC Richmond, which is managed by gentle US coach Ted Lasso, and the role immediately resonated.
“From the moment I auditio
