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Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham reunites with castmates for Christmas special

Waddingham and castmates reunite on stage. Is this a sign of a fourth season of US comedy series Ted Lasso?

Waddingham and castmates reunite on stage. Is this a sign of a fourth season of US comedy series Ted Lasso? Photo: Apple TV+

Emmy award-winning Ted Lasso star and accomplished West End singer Hannah Waddingham will reunite with castmates as she hosts a UK Christmas musical extravaganza at the London Coliseum.

In a teaser trailer ahead of the November 22 release of Hannah Waddingham: Home For Christmas (Apple TV+), we see her Ted Lasso co-star Juno Temple (Keeley Jones), give Waddingham a scare in her dressing room before the show.

Looking into the mirror, with her trademark coiffed blonde hair and dramatic strapless gown in perfect order, Temple suddenly appears behind her.

“I’m your Christmas miracle!” she yells.

Waddingham screams in delight, clearly not expecting to see Temple anytime soon after wrapping the season three finale of the American sports comedy-drama series, which turned the cast into overnight celebrities.

Other familiar Ted Lasso faces who join her on stage include Phil Dunster (Jamie Tartt), Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), James Lance (Trent Crimm), Billy Harris (Colin Hughes) and Nick Mohammed (Nate Shelley).

One glaring omission from the trailer is creator and Lasso star, US actor and Saturday Night Live alumnus Jason Sudeikis.

Ted Lasso ran from 2020 to May 2023.

Waddingham, 49, has been called on to host several events this year, including the Eurovision Song Contest and the Olivier Awards, where she performed an opening number with West End musical stars.

On Tuesday, she co-hosted the Earthshot Prize in Singapore alongside This Is Us star Sterling K Brown, and was seen chatting to the Prince of Wales.

And Home for Christmas isn’t the only festive fare from the actress and singer this season, who also appeared in iconic British department store Marks & Spencer’s Christmas advert.

She is seen destroying a number of typical Christmas items, including a gingerbread house and paper crowns.

The ad sees the star and fellow celebrities such as Zawe Ashton, Tan France and Sophie Ellis-Bextor do away with festive tradition, with the message of “do only what you love”.

“Getting glammed up and spending time with loved ones and family is something I look forward to the most, so filming this campaign really got me in the festive spirit,” Waddingham said, reported Digital Spy.

Hannah Waddingham’s trademark blonde coiff and strapless gowns take centre stage at her early-release Christmas musical show. Photo: Apple TV+

Waddingham’s ‘favourite time of year’

Waddingham is known for her contribution to West End musical theatre, particularly her performances in the original London production of Spamalot as the Lady of the Lake, and as Desiree Armfelt in Trevor Nunn’s acclaimed revival of A Little Night Music, roles that earned her two Olivier Award nominations, according to IMDb.

In 2008, she made her film debut as Elizabeth Maddox in How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, followed by Into the Woods, Les Misérables, Winter Ridge and The Hustle.

In 2015, Waddingham joined the cast for the fifth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones as Septa Unella.

But it was only three years ago, in 2020, when she gained the international recognition that catapulted her to fame in the US for her portrayal of vulnerable soccer club owner Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso, for which she won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2021 Critics Choice Awards.

Her November spectacular will also feature the English National Opera, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, The Fabulous Lounge Swingers and an 18-piece band.

Over the hour-long special, she shares her personal journey with anecdotes and memories about her own holiday experiences, which was recorded live with an audience, according to The Wrap.

Meanwhile, there has been much speculation about a far more serious Ted Lasso reunion in the form of a fourth series of the show, which has raked in more than 61 Emmy nominations alone over three seasons.

She has a huge fan base, and won the Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series in 2021 and the Critics’ Choice Television Award for best supporting actress in a Comedy Series in 2021 and 2022, for the sporting show with a heart.

She was asked by the Los Angeles Times on June 1 why she was such a fan favourite.

“It’s gorgeous because it makes me think that people are really lovely at heart. They are championing a woman who is middle-aged and a bit lost and doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing and is trying really bloody hard,” she said.

“And I love the fact that the people that love Rebecca must find a part of themselves in it as well.”

And everyone asks her about a fourth season.

“The good thing is people keep asking all of us cast members aside from [Jason] Sudeikis, ‘You know what’s happening?’

“Thankfully all of us can honestly say no f*****g clue.

“Not a clue at all, which is just as well.”

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas premieres November 22 on Apple TV+

Topics: Christmas
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