Hannah Waddingham is 52 years old. Born on July 28, 1974, in Wandsworth, London, she is a British actress, singer and television presenter who spent two decades as one of the West End’s leading musical-theatre stars before becoming a household name as Rebecca Welton in Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso, a role that won her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021. She is also known as Septa Unella, the ‘shame nun’, in Game of Thrones, and she co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in 2023. She is in a relationship with Nick Beresford-Cleary, and her net worth is approximately $6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026).
Hannah Waddingham Quick Facts
| Full Name | Hannah Waddingham |
| Date of Birth | July 28, 1974 |
| Age | 52 years old |
| Birthplace | Wandsworth, London, England |
| Partner | Nick Beresford-Cleary |
| Children | 1 |
| Occupation | Actress, singer, television presenter |
| Net Worth | Approx. $6 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2026) |
| Known For | Ted Lasso (Rebecca Welton), Game of Thrones (Septa Unella), Sex Education |
Who Is Hannah Waddingham?
Hannah Waddingham is a British actress, singer and television presenter whose career took a long road to fame. She spent more than 20 years on the stage, becoming one of the West End’s most respected musical-theatre performers, with three Laurence Olivier Award nominations to her name. It was television that made her famous around the world: first as Septa Unella in Game of Thrones, and then as Rebecca Welton, the sharp, funny football-club owner at the heart of Ted Lasso, a performance that won her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021.
What makes Waddingham stand out is her versatility. She is a trained singer with a four-octave vocal range, a stage star who has played the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot on both sides of the Atlantic, and a television presenter who co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in front of a global audience of millions. Her recent film work has put her alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood, and her Ted Lasso salary rose to $150,000 per episode by the show’s third and fourth seasons, according to Celebrity Net Worth. She lives in London and has a daughter, born in 2014.
Hannah Waddingham’s Early Life & Background
Hannah Waddingham was born on July 28, 1974, in Wandsworth, London, England. She is half-Manx: her mother, Melodie Kelly, is from Port Erin on the Isle of Man and was an opera singer, as were both of her maternal grandparents. Her mother joined the English National Opera when Waddingham was eight, so she grew up around the theatre, watching her mother perform and soaking up the world of opera and musicals.
Waddingham trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) in London, graduating as a trained actress and singer with a four-octave vocal range. Her first professional work was in dinner theatre, in a production called Joey and Gina’s Wedding, and she made her West End debut in 1998 in Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens. From there, she built a stage career that would make her one of the most sought-after musical-theatre performers in Britain.
Hannah Waddingham’s Career
Waddingham’s stage career is the foundation of everything that followed. After her West End debut in Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens in 1998, she created the role of Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Beautiful Game (2000–2001), played Starbird in Space Family Robinson (2002) and Satan in Tonight’s the Night (2003). Her breakthrough stage role came as the Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot, which she played in London and on Broadway, earning a Laurence Olivier Award nomination. She went on to play Desirée Armfeldt in A Little Night Music (2010, another Olivier nomination), the Witch in Into the Woods (2010), the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (2011, a role she originated) and Lilli Vanessi in Kiss Me, Kate (2012–2013, a third Olivier nomination).
Waddingham made her television debut in 2002 in an episode of Coupling, and spent the next decade in guest roles and supporting film parts, including Les Misérables (2012) and Benidorm (2014, as Tonya Dyke). Her breakthrough screen role came in 2015, when she was cast as Septa Unella in Game of Thrones — the nun who marches Cersei Lannister through the streets of King’s Landing ringing a bell and chanting ‘shame’. She played the part in the show’s fifth and sixth seasons, and she has said she kept the bell as a souvenir. She went on to play Jax-Ur in the Syfy series Krypton (2018–2019) and Sofia Marchetti in Netflix’s Sex Education (2019–2023).
Waddingham’s career changed again in 2020, when she was cast as Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso, the owner of AFC Richmond who hires an American football coach to manage her soccer team. The Apple TV+ comedy became a global hit, and Waddingham won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2021, along with two Critics’ Choice Television Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble. According to Celebrity Net Worth, her salary rose to $150,000 per episode by the show’s third and fourth seasons. She co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in 2023, and her recent film work includes Hocus Pocus 2 (2022), The Fall Guy (2024) — in which she starred alongside Emily Blunt — The Garfield Movie (2024, voice of Jinx), Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025, Admiral Neely), The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025), with Keira Knightley, and Lilo & Stitch (2025, voice of the Grand Councilwoman). She also voices Deliria in the animated series Krapopolis (2023–present). Her upcoming work includes the film Ride or Die (2026) and High in the Clouds (2027).
Facts About Hannah Waddingham
- She won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Ted Lasso.
- She played Septa Unella, the ‘shame nun’, in Game of Thrones (2015–2016).
- She co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in 2023.
- She has a four-octave vocal range and released the single “Our Kind of Love” in 2000, which reached No. 41 on the UK Singles Chart.
- She has been nominated for three Laurence Olivier Awards for her stage work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Hannah Waddingham?
Hannah Waddingham is 52 years old. She was born on July 28, 1974, in Wandsworth, London, England.
Who is Hannah Waddingham’s partner?
Hannah Waddingham’s partner is Nick Beresford-Cleary. She has spoken publicly about their relationship in 2026.
What is Hannah Waddingham’s net worth?
Hannah Waddingham’s net worth is approximately $6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026).
What is Hannah Waddingham known for?
Hannah Waddingham is best known for playing Rebecca Welton in Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021, and for playing Septa Unella in Game of Thrones.
What is Hannah Waddingham doing next?
Hannah Waddingham’s upcoming work includes the film Ride or Die (2026), with Octavia Spencer, and High in the Clouds (2027), in which she voices Gretsch.
How old is Hannah Waddingham?
Hannah Waddingham is 52 years old. She was born on July 28, 1974, in Wandsworth, London, England.
Who is Hannah Waddingham’s partner?
Hannah Waddingham’s partner is Nick Beresford-Cleary. She has spoken publicly about their relationship in 2026.
What is Hannah Waddingham’s net worth?
Hannah Waddingham’s net worth is approximately $6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026).
What is Hannah Waddingham known for?
Hannah Waddingham is best known for playing Rebecca Welton in Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021, and for playing Septa Unella in Game of Thrones.
What is Hannah Waddingham doing next?
Hannah Waddingham’s upcoming work includes the film Ride or Die (2026), with Octavia Spencer, and High in the Clouds (2027), in which she voices Gretsch.
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