Hannah Waddingham Opens Up About Her Daughter, Fertility Journey and Life as a Single Mom
The 'Ted Lasso' star shares her inspiring journey raising daughter Kitty as a single mom and how it's her greatest role yet
Key Takeaways
- Hannah Waddingham is a proud single mom to her young daughter, Kitty.
- The actress has opened up over the years about raising her on her own.
- See what Hannah Waddingham has said about mom guilt, being a single mom and more.
When Hannah Waddingham made her Ted Lasso debut, it didn’t take long for her to steal hearts both on screen and off. The 52-year-old actress had built a successful career on the stage prior to her breakout role, but once she made herself known as Rebecca Welton, there was no turning back.
In addition to her long list of accomplishments and projects keeping her busy, Hannah Waddingham also has a daughter, Kitty, 12, whom she’s been raising as a single mom since she was two years old. Having split from Kitty’s dad, businessman Gianluca Cugnetto, Waddingham has gotten candid over the years about motherhood, mom guilt and raising her daughter on her own.
Hannah Waddingham was told she couldn’t have children
On the Just As Well podcast by Women’s Health UK, Waddingham opened up about her fertility struggles after being told she was unable to conceive. “I went down the eastern [medicine] route,” she shared. “I’d been told by western medicine that it wasn’t happening, or take these chemicals to try and make it happen. I’m just saying it worked for me, for a start. He said that I was really lacking in quite a few bits and pieces, and then gave me the most disciplined, detailed, homeopathic stuff to take over a month, and my next period never came.”
Waddingham took her baby home from the hospital on her 40th birthday, and since becoming a mom, has never shied away from speaking candidly about motherhood.
“I wanted to have a child when I was ready and to not resent that child for taking me away from my career,” she shared with Glamour. “I wanted the privilege of motherhood to work in tandem with my career, rather than me thinking, ‘God, you’re stopping me doing things…’ Because the greatest gift in the world is a child and they are complete, beautiful, green innocents. There’s no doubt you definitely have to be ready for it, because it’s right that they should take over, because they need to. But being a single mother in your forties is not easy! I’m not going to lie, it’s quite exhausting. One of the greatest acting jobs in my life is pretending I have energy to my daughter! Honestly, when she says to me, ‘Oh, let’s do this or let’s do that, mumma,’ my whole body goes, ‘Oh my God, really?’”
Though being a single parent of course wasn’t what she pictured for herself and there are days when the mom guilt creeps up, Waddingham finds ways to keep her daughter close—one of the most notable being back in 2024 when she took a clutch made by her daughter on the red carpet. “I picked it up and went, ‘It’s actually got more space in it than a normal, designer, ridiculous handbag, so I’m going to take it up the red carpet.’ I did it on purpose, to show her that she’s never far away from me,” the actress told The Guardian.
Hannah Waddingham bounced back stronger as a single mom
Though Hannah and Kitty’s father are on good terms, at the time of their split, her world was rocked. “In that moment, your career could falter because you’re left holding the baby. [But] I found in myself a strength,” she told Women’s Health. “I thought, ‘No, I’m not going to sit in the corner with a duvet over my head and think, Oh, poor me.’ I’m going to come out fighting because I know that I have so much to give in my career.”
Her journey as a single mom has been open and honest, and one she’s happy to speak about. “I talk about [single motherhood] all the time because it’s not the same as two parents. I know that sounds ridiculous and obvious, but I think people forget it. People go, ‘Oh yes, I’m by myself most of the time.” But that’s not the same as being sole provider. She is undoubtedly my greatest achievement because of that.”
Hannah and Kitty’s bond is truly special, and the love Hannah has for her daughter is evident. Catch the new season of Ted Lasso on Apple TV, the first episode streaming now.
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