{
  "id": 12945896,
  "title": "Hannah Waddingham's Early Career Included A Role On Another Sports-Themed Show",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/hannah-waddinghams-early-career-included-a-role-on-another-sports",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T20:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TVLine",
    "slug": "tvline",
    "url": "https://www.tvline.com/2275607/hannah-waddingham-role-other-sports-themed-show-footballers-wives/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hannah Waddingham, now a globally recognized actor, began her acting career with smaller roles in various British television shows. Before landing her breakout role as Rebecca Welton on the Apple TV series Ted Lasso, she appeared in Footballers' Wives, a British drama about a soccer club and its players' wives. In the fourth season of Footballers' Wives, Waddingham played Jools, a tennis player represented by Hazel, the show's tough-talking agent. Their relationship progressed romantically over the course of the series, with Jools and Jools ultimately becoming involved with each other. This marked Waddingham's fourth acting credit, following earlier roles in popular British sitcoms like Coupling, Brookside, and William and Mary. It took her over ten years of guest appearances on numerous British programs before Waddingham received her first major role on Game of Thrones, portraying the intensely devout nun Septa Unella. Waddingham's career trajectory also included a significant role in the West End musical adaptation of Les Misérables, where she earned Olivier Award nominations for her intense performance. Following the immense success of Ted Lasso, Waddingham became one of the most sought-after performers worldwide, receiving accolades such as an Emmy and two Critics Choice Awards. She has since hosted her own Christmas special, provided voiceover work for films, and appeared in the sequel to Hocus Pocus.",
  "summary": "Ted Lasso fans know that Hannah Waddingham is no no stranger to football, but before she crossed paths with the Greyhounds, she was in another British series.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}