‘Home for Christmas’: Hannah Waddingham on Having ‘Ted Lasso’ Stars & More in Holiday Special (VIDEO)
Hannah Waddingham is a big star on London’s West End stage, but non-theater fans mostly know her as Rebecca from Ted Lasso. The Ted Lasso Christmas episode (plus some other karaoke moments) showed off her vocal chops, but the Emmy-winner shows audiences just how splendid her voice really is in her Apple TV+ holiday special, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, debuting on Wednesday, November 22 on the streamer.
The musical special clocks in at just under one hour, but viewers will feel like it’s much longer and fulfilling thanks to Waddingham’s song selections and well-timed comedic breaks. She has a holiday song from practically every genre of music, performed with the help of a rousing band, a lovely cast of dancers, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, and two of her best friends (and godfathers to her young daughter, who also makes an appearance), Scott Baker and Patrick Davey of The Fabulous Lounge Swingers.
Waddingham’s Ted Lasso buddies Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, Phil Dunster, James Lance, Billy Harris, and Kola Bokinni also take the stage, while Toheeb Jimoh and Jeremy Swift watch with delight from the crowd (as do some of her friends from Game of Thrones). When she’s not on stage of the London Coliseum stunning with her vocal talents, she’s backstage staging comedic bits with the help of Juno Temple and Hunt. The guest-star list gets even longer when her longtime pal, Luke Evans, Hamilton‘s Leslie Odom Jr., and Eurovision finalist Sam Ryder join for performances (as does Dunster — who knew he could sing?!).
In the TV Insider interview above, Waddingham says she cast all of these folks to show that the worlds of TV, theater, and music “can collide and be mutually appreciative far more than they are” — a message she delivered at the end of her Emmys speech in 2021. “It’s the There’s Space for Everybody Christmas Special,” she says with a smile.
Waddingham’s set list includes Christmas classics and some unexpected holiday fare. In one of the most poignant moments of the evening, she dedicates her performance of “O Holy Night” to her mother, whom she grew up watching perform operas at the London Coliseum. Performing in this venue, with this cast, performing this specially curated music is a dream come true for the star. And the fact that everything on her wish list was granted made it all the more sweeter.
She chose “O Holy Night” as a tribute to her mother and daughter because she “wanted it to be the centerpiece” of the event.
“If you look at the timeline, it’s in the dead center of the show,” she explains. “I wanted it to be something whereby there would be an absolute, definite, more than anything a definite mood change. And it had to be a nod, at the end of it, to what I’ve learned from my mum’s voice and from the people that I’m on stage with — several whom were there when my mum was there and are like aunties and uncles to me. I wanted to make sure that it was a more somber, heartfelt, more serious moment to say, Mama, you may be poorly now, but I’m grateful that you’re still here and this is for you.”
Like “O Holy Night,” every song performed has a special meaning to Waddingham. Learn more about why she chose each performer and song in the full video interview above.
Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, Premieres Wednesday, November 22, Apple TV+
