Photographer asks Hannah Waddingham to 'show leg' — she makes him regret it instantly: "Don't be a..."

Hannah Waddingham hosted the prestigious Olivier Awards in London for the second time in April 2024. While the glamorous night was the highlight of the theatre awards, the Ted Lasso star’s day was off to a rather dull start. As is done, the star-studded evening unraveled with a red carpet session on the steps of the Royal Albert Hall. The red carpet moment, characterized by the camera flashes and the incessant clamoring of the reporters, is one that celebrities usually cherish. But things turned out differently for the 50-year-old star when she posed for the cameras in her shimmering purple gown on the hall's steps. Fan footage shared on X (@odeiotedlasso) captured the altercation moments before the awards kicked off.

According to the video, a photographer passed a disrespectful comment, reportedly asking her to "show some leg." Offended by the crude remark, Waddingham snapped back with a befitting reply that eventually propelled it to become a viral pop culture moment. Although unclear what the photographer actually said, it was sexist enough to trigger the Emmy winner. “Oh my God, you’d never say that to a man, my friend,” Waddingham belts out. Standing on the steps, amidst a crowd of journalists and fans, she called out, “Don’t be a d**k, otherwise I’ll walk off.” As she descended the steps following the exchange, nearby fans hooted and lauded her boldness. 

But the Mission Impossible actor was barely done. She once again turned back to scold the photographer. "Don’t say, ‘Show me leg.’ No,” the awards host reprimanded before finally walking off. Meanwhile, the viral X post’s caption summarised her ordeal at that moment. “Long story short: Hannah was being her gorgeous self and the [photographer] made some comment about her leg we couldn't quite make out and... well, the video speaks for itself,” the note continued. “This woman is a role model. Always, always call pricks out on their bu***sh*t.” The red-carpet moment was covered by most major media outlets in the UK, while the original post also attracted 2.5 million views and dozens of reactions from viewers. 

“2024 and the Paparazzi still think it's 1974,” mocked a person (@loftinopanevino) while another (@KaitlinJHoward) marked, “And that is why she is Queen.” “Hannah being an absolute icon for calling this kind of behavior out,” raved someone else (@SuperBeamy). Another fan (@DaveSimon10) who claimed to be present at the time, said, “I saw it as well. The photographer was rude and ignorant to everybody, thinking he called Dave Benett. I think he felt he owned the carpet.” However, there was a fair share of commenters weighing the photographer’s point of view. Some people suggested since Waddingham’s gown had a slit, he may have urged her to pose with her leg.

Nevertheless, the star herself was made privy to her viral red carpet moment at the Olivier Awards. It sparked a worldwide debate about the stereotypes and misogyny in the glam industry. The Game of Thrones actor sat down with her pal and show host Alex Jones for BBC’s The One Show, where she reflected on the awards and explained how she dealt with the massive attention. The star was touched by Jones's thoughtful question about her feelings since the incident. "That's a very nice thing to say, actually... I'm good," Waddingham said, adding that she had received a written apology from the photographer. She revealed she was ready to “move on” from it and encouraged the world would rather focus on the fantastic night that was the 2024 Olivier Awards. 

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