In Apple TV+ Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, the blonde Brit’s killer pipes and killer curves are the stars of the show — and so are her friends from The West End, Broadway, and yes, the show that made her famous, Ted Lasso!
Recorded in front of a live audience, Waddingham’s musical special features holiday classics performed with Ted Lasso’s Phil Dunster (Jamie Tartt), Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr., Welsh singer/actor Luke Evans and Eurovision sensation Sam Ryder. The Emmy winner also reunites with several other Ted Lasso castmates.
We have all the dish about the Apple TV+ 2023 Christmas celebration, which comes from the same team behind 2020’s Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special. Plus, if you somehow missed Waddingham’s duet with Jason Sudeikis, we’ve got that here!
Hannah Waddingham Comes Home for Christmas
Recorded live at The Coliseum in London, Waddingham’s one-hour Christmas special doesn’t actually take place in her home — obviously! That said, she makes the treasured venue her own by inviting her “favorite people” onstage.
In addition to the featured performers, Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein (Roy), Juno Temple (Keeley), Nick Mohammed (Nate), Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), and more AFC Richmond alums help bring the holiday cheer. Waddingham even makes the party a family affair by turning the camera on her parents and giving her own 8-year-old daughter the first line of the show.
And while we won’t spoil the surprise, the British powerhouse does indeed have a nostalgic reason for bringing the Apple TV+ celebration to one of London’s oldest and most beautiful theaters. Amid the song, dance, and holiday schtick, she shares anecdotes and memories about her own holiday experiences — one of which involves the theater itself and gets her a bit choked up.
Hannah Waddingham Before Ted Lasso
Some might believe Waddingham to be an overnight sensation. The singer/actress was in the business for two decades before stepping into Rebecca Welton’s shoes and earning herself a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, two Critics’ Choice Awards, three comedy Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Hollywood Critics Association Award.
For some fans, Game of Thrones was the first time they noticed the statuesque blonde – who got to shame Cersei Lannister as Septa Unella in 2015. Interestingly, Waddingham’s Thrones character would also have shamed her first credited role — a stripper in the BBC Two sitcom Coupling in 2002!
Waddingham went on to guest star on a host of English shows and landed her first big screen role in 2008’s How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. That was the same year she came to The States to make her Broadway debut with Monty Python’s Smalalot.
Waddingham got her start on the stages of London’s West End at the turn of the century. In addition to being the original Lady of the Lake in Spamalot alongside Tim Curry, from 2006-2007, she appeared in Trevor Nunn’s acclaimed revival of A Little Night Music, the 2010 Regent’s Park revival of Into the Woods, and the West End production of The Wizard of Oz.
During her early West End career, Waddingham also released a single, “Our Kind of Love,” as Hannah. The ballad came from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Beautiful Game, for which she’d created the role of Christine Warner, and reached #41 on the UK Singles Chart.
Waddingham, who parlayed her stage experience into a small role in 2012’s Les Misérables, comes by her pipes and love of performing, naturally. Her mother, Melodie Kelly, was a member of the English National Opera for 27 years, and her maternal grandparents were also opera singers.
What she’s doing now
Today, you can catch Waddingham in Netflix’s Sex Education, Fox’s animated Krapopolis, PBS’ Tom Jones, and of course, her Home for Christmas special.
Waddingham recently ditched her golden locks to go red for 2024’s The Fall Guy, with Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. She’s also set to give voice to a character in Chris Pratt’s upcoming Garfield movie and will get into the action with Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, slated for 2025.
The Hannah Waddingham and Jason Sudeikis Duet
While there will be plenty of Ted Lasso eye candy and laughs in Waddingham’s Christmas special, mums the word on whether Jason Sudeikis will appear. Thankfully, the beloved duo recently reunited when Waddingham surprised fans by joining him on stage at the fundraiser, THUNDERGONG! 2023 — and we can share that with you!
As the November 12 performance at Kansas City’s Uptown Theater began, it looked like Sudeikis was going to cover “Shallow” with his former Saturday Night Live castmate, Will Forte. “There’s no one I would rather play this song with,” he demurred before starting to croon the first verse.
Then Forte opened his mouth… and the audience heard Waddingham’s voice instead! The blonde beauty strolled out on stage and absolutely stole the show. Though Sudeikis proved to have quite the voice and harmonized beautifully with Waddingham, he gave her the spotlight and left her to belt out most of the song on her own.
The pair was also together on stage with Hunt had his beard shaved by Waddingham while Sudeikis sang Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.”
More than just good fun, THUNDERGONG! is an annual benefit concert held by Steps of Faith to raise funds for amputees in need.
Listen to her Christmas Soundtrack
When Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas premieres, Apple will also launch a companion holiday album.
Featuring every musical highlight from the special, the live soundtrack will be available on all music streaming platforms.
You can preview Waddingham’s performance of “What Christmas Means To Me” and pre-save the album via Platoon, now.
How to Watch Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas
Waddingham’s one-hour holiday special is directed by BAFTA Award winner Hamish Hamilton – whose credits include the Oscars, Grammys, Super Bowl halftime show, and London Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, so he knows how to put on a good show.
In addition to several beloved Ted Lasso alums, Odom Jr., Evans, and Ryder, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas will feature the English National Opera, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, The Fabulous Lounge Swingers, and an 18-piece band.
Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas is an Apple Original Film and premieres on Apple TV+ November 22, with the soundtrack released the same day.
For more holiday content, click through the links below!
Lifetime’s Christmas Movie Lineup 2023 — 13 Festive Films That Bring on the Joy!
The 9 Best Thanksgiving TV Episodes, Ranked
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