Hannah Waddingham has revealed she only discovered she was pregnant after previously being told it was unlikely she’d be able to have children during a medical for TV show Benidorm.
The Ted Lasso star, 48, said she was stunned when the medical’s results came back during the casting process for the Benidorm role in 2014.
Speaking to the White Wine Question Time podcast in 2021 about how she learned of her fertility issues, Hannah – who played Tonya Dyke in the ITV sitcom – said: ‘Just kind of by accident really.
‘I did my medical for Benidorm and I got a letter back saying “blood type this, blah blah that, fertility low, deh deh deh”.
‘And I was like “woah, woah, woah, what?”. It was just on a form.’
Shock: Hannah Waddingham has revealed she only discovered she was pregnant after previously being told it was unlikely she’d be able to have children during a medical for TV show Benidorm
Shocking: The Ted Lasso star, 48, said she was stunned when the medical’s results came back during the casting process for the Benidorm role in 2014
Accident: Hannah played Tonya Dyke in the ITV sitcom and learned of her issues during a medical review
Hannah was told it was unlikely she would be able to conceive, but soon went on to have her daughter Kitty, eight, with her ex Gianluca Cugnetto.
The actress – then a regular in theatre productions – added that she then decided to re-think her career to fit in with motherhood.
She said: ‘I was told it would be unlikely for me to conceive, so then when I did, she’s a precious little thing that was meant to come to me and I thought “Ok, I need to be with this precious little love that’s been given to me”.’
Hannah realised the difficulty of combining being a mum with continuing her theatre stage acting six days a week with matinee performances on top.
This made her keen to find screen work and wanted it to be as close as possible to her London home.
She said: ‘So I’m really mindful always, and so appreciative, that the door for screen work swung open to me when it did.
Beating the odds! Hannah was told it was unlikely she would be able to conceive, but went on to have her daughter Kitty, eight, with her ex Gianluca Cugnetto (pictured together in 2015)
Overstretched: Hannah realised the difficulty of combining being a mum with continuing her theatre stage acting six days a week with matinee performances on top
‘I was doing Kiss Me, Kate at the Old Vic and then I had Derren Litten ask me to come on board for Benidorm.
‘I have to credit Derren for letting me in, certainly into comedy. I got that medical thing through, and during Benidorm I was on a mission to find out a way and I went down the homeopathic route and that seemed to work.
‘Her [Kitty’s] dad, at the time, was like “if this isn’t for us…”. And I was like “No, no, no, there’s nothing wrong with me – I need to see what’s happening here”.
‘And gosh, the blessing that I was one of those women that it did turn around for.
‘I know two or three of my girlfriends haven’t had that privilege and so I’m acutely aware of the privilege that it is.’
Breakout role: She went on to audition for Ted Lasso without any great expectations, until she discovered it would be shot in Richmond, half an hour from her home
Big part: She was then eager to join the series and was overjoyed to land the part, which she has now portrayed for three years, where she could work and still remain close to her home and daughter (pictured in show)
She added: ‘At that point I just thought if I can avoid being away from her – one of my favourite things in the whole world is bath, books and bed – so that’s what I did, and I feel like I’ve been extended that luxury.’
Hanna, went on to portray Septa Unella in Game of Thrones, filming nine weeks after giving birth.
She went on to audition for Ted Lasso without any great expectations, until she discovered it would be shot in Richmond, half an hour from her home.
She was then eager to join the series and was overjoyed to land the part, which she has now portrayed for three years, where she could work and still remain close to her home and daughter.
