Hannah Waddingham praised for ‘iconic’ response to losing Bafta to Strictly Come Dancing

Viewers of the Bafta TV awards have praised Hannah Waddingham for her jovial response to losing out on the 2024 Entertainment prize to Strictly Come Dancing.

The Ted Lasso star, 49, had been nominated for her Apple TV+ variety show style special Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas but was beaten by the BBC dance competition. You can find the full winners list here.

After Strictly was announced as the winner, Waddingham could be seen swigging from a hip flask attached to her bracelet – much to the delight of fans watching the ceremony at home.

The West End star was quickly branded an “icon” by viewers who shared their reactions to the loss on X/Twitter on Sunday night (12 May).

“Not Hannah with the hip flask bracelet QUEEEN!!!” one person wrote.

“Legend that Hannah Waddingham is, drinking out of her bracelet,” someone else praised.

“Hannah Waddingham drinking a shot out of a bracelet whilst Joe Lycett is dressed as Queen Elizabeth I in the background. ICONIC,” another person said.

Comedian Joe Lycett, who was seated behind Waddingham, attended the Bafta ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall dressed as Queen Elizabeth I after losing a bet.

In the last few weeks, Lycett has been updating his fans on the status of a promise he made with his two aunties ahead of the awards ceremony.

Lycett said that, if his aunties Margaret and Pauline managed to amass 200,000 followers on Instagram by a certain date, he would attend the TV Baftas dressed as the Tudor monarch.

Margaret and Pauline reached the goal and Lycett walked the red carpet with a lavish dress and dyed red hair.

Elsewhere in the ceremony, Waddingham accepted the prize for Live Event Coverage for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Waddingham co-hosted the contest in Liverpool last year, along with Alesha Dixon, Graham Norton and Ukrainian star Julia Sanina.

Accepting the trophy, the actor said: “The week we had this time last year was, I know for everybody here, the most exceptional, stressful week but so fabulous.”

Elsewhere on the night, viewers were left bemused by a live dance performance paying tribute to the Birmingham-set crime series Peaky Blinders.

Meanwhile, presenter Lorraine Kelly described being sworn at by Brian Cox as “one of the highlights” of her career while accepting the Bafta Special Award.

Viewers noticed Loose Women panelist Judi Love appeared to roll her eyes after Kelly had been awarded the accolade and everybody else around her clapped.

Fans immediately rushed to social media to discuss a possible rivalry between the pair. A tweet of the clip shared by @Lewisjloman has since gone viral on X/Twitter.

“Is anyone able to explain to me what Judi Love’s issue is with Lorraine Kelly?” one person asked, with another adding: “Want to know more about Judi Love giving Lorraine the side eye.”