Hannah Waddingham, 51, has spoken openly about the persistent "mum guilt" she experiences when her acting career requires her to be away from her 12-year-old daughter, Kitty. Waddingham, who shares Kitty with her ex-partner, Italian hotel manager Gianluca Cugnetto, has frequently described her daughter as her "greatest achievement" while navigating the challenges of single parenthood alongside a demanding career.
During a recent interview, Waddingham recalled a particularly poignant moment early in her career. She revealed that she accepted a role in "Game of Thrones" shortly after giving birth to Kitty. While filming an intense scene for the series, she could hear her infant daughter crying nearby, prompting introspection about her decision to return to work so soon. "And I just thought, oh my God, what am I doing?" she told The Guardian, recounting the internal conflict between providing for her family and the emotional toll of separation.
This maternal concern continues to shape her professional choices. Waddingham mentioned that she is preparing for press events for the upcoming season of "Ted Lasso," and the familiar guilt is already setting in. She has also consciously avoided returning to theatre work, citing the intensive eight-show-a-week schedule as too demanding for Kitty's readiness to handle extended periods apart from her mother.
Beyond her role as a mother, Waddingham also addressed her public image and the "camp" label she sometimes encounters. She expressed that while she embraces her theatricality, she hopes audiences recognize the multifaceted nature of her personality. "I like these profiles, because it's important for people to see that, as with anyone else, there's light and there's shade," she stated.
Her personal life has also seen recent developments. About a month prior to the interview, it was revealed that Waddingham had entered a new relationship, her first in nearly a decade since her long-term partnership with Cugnetto ended. She explained that for eight years, she prioritized focusing on herself and Kitty before feeling ready to re-enter the dating scene. "I didn't really have the space mentally or emotionally for that," she admitted. "I've hunkered down and focused on my girl and me. [But] now I'm ready to stick my head above the parapet a bit more."
When asked about her new partner, Waddingham described him as "very good looking" and "really lovely," confirming the relationship in a May interview with Women's Health UK. She later made a red carpet debut with consultant spine surgeon Nick Beresford-Cleary at the Variety Power Of Women event in London. Beresford-Cleary specializes in spinal surgeries and has an extensive medical background, including training at Edinburgh University and fellowships in pediatric and complex adult spine surgery.
Waddingham has previously spoken about the end of her relationship with Gianluca Cugnetto, with whom she was with for over a decade. At the time of their split, she described the feeling as if "the rug was pulled from underneath me." However, she emphasized her determination to not be weakened by the experience, likening the early period to her and Kitty being "on an upturned dustbin lid, like a flying saucer, holding on for dear life." Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Waddingham has stated that she remains on good terms with her daughter's father.
