Hannah Waddingham steps down from BBC Proms hosting role

Hannah Waddingham says she will no longer be hosting the BBC Fantasy, Myths And Legends Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, out of solidarity with the ongoing Hollywood actors’ strike.

The actress and singer, known for her performance in Bafta-winning Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso, said she was “respectfully” stepping down.

In a post on social media shortly before the event, she wrote: “Hey guys, I very sadly won’t be able to host tonight’s @bbcproms ‘Fantasy,Myths and Legends’.

“It will be a magical night, but due to my ongoing support for the @sagaftra strike I must respectfully step down.

“I look forward to being back at @RoyalAlbertHall PDQ (pretty darn quickly)! Xx H”.

The Fantasy, Myths And Legends Prom will feature music from some of the industry’s biggest franchises, including Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings and Game Of Thrones – in which Waddingham also appeared.

Waddingham last appeared at the BBC Proms in 2016, and hosted the 2023 Olivier Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in April.

She has recently become more well-known through her performance in Ted Lasso and her co-hosting of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Along with other members of the Ted Lasso cast, Waddingham has been vocal in support of both the strike by US actors union Sag-Aftra and writers union the WGA (Writers Guild of America) and has been pictured on several US picket lines.

Members of the WGA went on strike on May 2 and were joined on July 14 by members of Sag-Aftra, action which has affected multiple productions and events.