Emma Thompson, who starred in the original 2005 movie, wrote the screenplay for the film and co-wrote the stage play's lyrics. ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection Sources tell Page Six Hollywood that “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham — who plays AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton on the hit Apple series — will land the lead role in Emma Thompson‘s upcoming West End stage adaptation of “Nanny McPhee.”
The casting would make sense: Waddingham has wowed audiences with her singing chops on “Ted Lasso” in numerous episodes, and she has also tread the boards in West End productions of “Into the Woods,” “Spamalot,” “A Little Night Music” and more.
“Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham is headed to West End to star in “Nanny McPhee.” Getty Images for A Disney Wish Based on Thompson’s 2005 Universal Pictures/Working Title film, “Nanny McPhee” begins performances in November of 2027 at London’s Aldwych Theatre.
Thompson wrote the book, and co-wrote the show’s lyrics with singer-songwriter Gary Clark, who also penned the music, Playbill reported.
Waddingham told The Post of periodically crooning on Jason Sudeikis‘ fish-out-of-water sports series, “The singing on ‘Ted Lasso’ is a hundred percent thanks to Mr. Sudeikis. Although I will say that him, Brendan Hunt, Brett Goldstein, they are all big musical theater nerds, far more than I am… So they would come up with songs and I would just be like, ‘Guys, I don’t know the words to that.’ And they would look at me horrified and clutch their pearls because they just love musical theater. Jason grew up going to the theater in Kansas with his mom.”
Waddingham is a regular on West End with credits including “Into the Woods,” “Spamalot,” “A Little Night Music.” David Fisher/Shutterstock Speaking of Kansas and musical numbers, Waddingham and Hunt went viral for performing The B-52s’ “Love Shack” together in 2023 at a Kansas City benefit for the Steps of Faith Foundation.
