It is a truth universally acknowledged that every time Hannah Waddingham sings, an angel gets its wings. And thereby, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas is a celebration of sight and sound in more ways than one. Waddingham’s success throughout the last three years since Ted Lasso has been indescribable to watch, and it’s entirely because she does something rare in the industry—she shares her spotlight, and she acknowledges the emotions necessary with all her heart. When she first won an Emmy Award, she brought attention to West End theatre stars, noting that Hollywood should spotlight their stars more often. She uses her platform to sing praises for anyone whose talent isn’t yet seen, showing us what it truly means to be a human being with love living deep inside her. And with the amount of raw talent she has, sharing the stage in this concert makes it a yearly holiday must-watch.
In Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, the limelight isn’t just on the special’s glittering star, but she shares the stage with Phil Dunster, Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr., Sam Ryder, and The Fabulous Lounge Swingers, too. Guest stars backstage (like Juno Temple featured in the trailer) make every moment pleasantly delightful, ensuring that the magic of the holidays is alive and ever-growing.
The beautiful thing about Hannah Waddingham hosting and headlining a concert like this boils down to the open adoration she consistently shows the people she works with. With Waddingham, everything out of her mouth feels sincere and so rare in Hollywood that if you’re even a little empathetic, you’ll find yourself crying once or twice (definitely thrice or more). I was a goner from the moment the special opened, and then she acknowledged how much performing at The London Coliseum meant to her.
In a forty-eight-minute extravaganza, Waddingham and all the guest stars pack so much for the audience that it’s easy to be satisfied and left wanting more simultaneously. Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas is brimming with sensational performances in every corner of the stage, hilarious beats of joy, and so much heart that even the Scroogiest heart is guaranteed to crack open a tiny bit.
Further, how Waddingham draws attention to her little girl and her mother, acknowledging her past and where she stands today, makes the concert much more special, allowing the audience to connect to the star through soulful performances with her heart entirely on display. Additionally, “O Holy Night” is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, and Waddingham’s rendition is now in the top three of most outstanding performances. Whatever song she sings (I’ll opt out of saying more), it’s guaranteed to top the charts at some point—there’s no limit to Waddingham’s gifts as a performer, and this special proves that. She isn’t playing a character here—it is all her, and goodness, she’s born to sparkle with millions cheering her on.
Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas is the kind of special that’ll likely be on rotation multiple times in every household during the holidays after its initial premiere. When the holiday season begins, we’ll pop the champagne (or drink of choice) right alongside her, watching it over and over again, marveling at her vocals, the stunning dresses, the behind-the-curtain moments, and every note she beautifully belts out. If the holidays don’t bring you cheer, something tells me Waddingham is guaranteed to change that. (And maybe, just maybe…the Ted Lasso cast’s infectious love for her will, too.)
Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas premieres on Apple TV+ on November 22.