The special one! I knew Hannah would be a star long before footy comedy
The Emmys are fast approaching, so it feels about the right time to mention how many I have…have I mentioned that before? Yes, multiple times!
One of my favourite Brits will be in attendance and hopefully we’ll see her lifting another one of the statues aloft.
Back in the late ’90s when I was doing musical theatre in London’s West End I auditioned for a show at Sadler’s Wells – happily for the audience it wasn’t a ballet!
Alongside me was Hannah Waddingham. She oozed star quality and, of course, thanks to the fantastic comedy series Ted Lasso the world has seen that quality, too. Last year she won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy series, and many other awards have followed.
This year she’s aiming for two in a row after being nominated in the same category for the awards which take place next month.
Ted Lasso is about an American coach who takes over a British football team and turns the cynical dressing room into an optimistic and happy place.
Has the optimism of her Ted Lasso character rubbed off on Hannah?
“Not so much on me, but I think it has rubbed off on the British community,” she said. “I think globally we have been roasting people because it’s seen as funny, instead of celebrating people which can be funny as well.”
Hannah was a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and I confessed to being giddy about it. She was asked if she had any nightmares about appearing on the show, which she did in a rather stunning outfit.
“Just about getting into a pale pink latex rubber dress,” she laughed.
How do you get into one of those dresses, I wonder.
“Bottles of talc,” said Hannah. Oh, I’ve already tried that method.
Next up, Hannah is in the Hocus Pocus 2 movie.
“Oh I’ve earned some serious Brownie points with my daughter,” she laughed.“I was kind of summoned on set and got to meet the three ladies with them in their costumes! Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy...just magic!”
I first knew Hannah as an incredible singer. Thankfully we’ve seen her sing in Ted Lasso.
“Jason Sudeikis told me I was to sing a Rick Astley song in the episode as a eulogy and I tried to get out of it,” she said.“It took a bit of time for me to break it down for my character. I love Rick Astley.
“Rick put a video out saying he liked what I did with the song and I was like,‘He knows my name!’ He’s an icon.”
We keep hearing that the third series of the much-loved Ted Lasso will be the last.
“We don’t know that for definite,”said Hannah.“I think that because Jason said that there was a beginning, middle and end to this story. But who knows, I hope not.
“I want to play her till she’s walking on a frame.”
And so do we!