Hannah Waddingham Had Doubts About 'Ted Lasso' in First Season

Actress Hannah Waddingham has shared that she harbored doubts about the direction of the Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso" during its inaugural season.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, Waddingham, who plays Rebecca Welton, admitted that she was unsure of the show's identity in its early stages. "When we made the first season I said, 'I don't think this show knows what it is,'" she recalled. However, she noted that following its release, an unexpected brilliance emerged in the editing process, making the show "genius."

"It is beautiful, positive, and very funny," Waddingham added about the show's eventual success. "Ted Lasso" went on to achieve significant viewership, with 283 million viewing hours logged, and tells the story of an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team.

During the same pre-recorded episode of The Graham Norton Show, Waddingham was joined by Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin, and Jorja Smith. Notably, Prince William also made an appearance, marking his first time on the chat show.

Prince William discussed various topics, including his family's enjoyment of the show "Celebrity Traitors," his past aspirations of becoming a police officer or a DJ, and his passion for Christopher Nolan's films. He also spoke extensively about the Earthshot Prize, an initiative he founded.

He explained that the Earthshot Prize was conceived out of a desire to counter the pervasive negativity surrounding environmental issues. "For many years I was hearing stories about environment issues and one thing that struck me was the negativity and doom which got me down," he stated. "I thought we could do something more powerful and more optimistic and the idea of an awards' ceremony came about."

Prince William emphasized the importance of optimism and urgency in addressing climate change, highlighting the prize's role in identifying and supporting global innovators who are developing scalable solutions. Cate Blanchett, a member of the Earthshot Prize Council, described the initiative as a "tapestry of solutions." Waddingham, who hosted the 2023 Earthshot Prize awards in Singapore, commended the support provided to finalists, enabling them to connect with necessary expertise, networks, and investment.

The episode, featuring a performance by Jorja Smith, was scheduled to air on BBC One. (IMAGE: SOURCE1, SOURCE2, IMAGE3, IMAGE4, IMAGE5)