Presenter Hannah’s secret blind date with Gary Lineker
FORGET who carried off the Eurovision microphone trophy last night and celebrate the true victor of this year’s contest – the show’s presenter, Hannah Waddingham.
The relatively little-known star of Ted Lasso, the hit Apple TV+ show, has become a national treasure after wowing viewers of last week’s semi-finals.
Presenting alongside Alesha Dixon and the Ukrainian singersongwriter Julia Sanina, she has won thousands of fans who love her side-eye moments, impromptu dance moves, hilarious facial expressions, impressive language skills and amazing dresses.
And now The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the 48-year-old has enjoyed a blind date with Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker.
Sources say that they were set up by a friend some years ago and went for a meal.
But she and Mr Lineker, 62, decided not to go on a second date.
A friend said: ‘On paper they should have really got on well.
‘Both of them were single, both in the public eye and Hannah is beautiful. They went for dinner but the chemistry just wasn’t there. Neither of them were feeling it so they didn’t meet up again.’ Ms Waddingham is single again after splitting from hotel manager Gianluca Cugnetto.
Mr Lineker has two ex-wives – Michelle Cockayne, with whom he had four sons, and Danielle Bux. And the former England striker might well regret his decision not to chase Ms Waddingham because she is now expected to become very much sought-after by television companies and film-makers.
A global audience of more than 160million watch Eurovision and last night she once again had the audience in stitches.
Last week the crowd at Liverpool Arena were chanting her name after she recited the Eurovision rules in fluent French before adding cheekily: ‘You see, Europe, some of us Brits do bother to learn another language.’
She said that the prospect of announcing the winner ‘literally gives me shivers of excitement. ‘My 12-year-old self couldn’t believe that I would ever be saying it.’