Hannah Waddingham looks incredible in a white maxi dress as she enjoys lunch in Soho with pals

Hannah Waddingham looked stylish in a summery white maxi dress as she had lunch with friends in London’s Soho on Thursday.

The Ted Lasso star, 48, looked incredible in the sleeveless dress she cinched in at the waist with a chunky rattan belt.

She kept herself casual in a pair of metallic Birkenstock sandals and accessorised with a chunky gold bracelet.

The actress added a splash of color to the outfit by toting her belongings in a striking orange bag.

The Primetime Emmy Award winner has styled her long blonde locks in a low ponytail and her bangs in a neat topknot.

All smiles: The Ted Lasso star, 48, added a pop of color to the outfit by lugging her belongings around in a striking orange bag

Hannah couldn’t contain her smile as she sat in the restaurant chatting with friends.

Her looks come after her proud dad shared how delighted he was with the British star’s status as a national treasure she will be working with Tom Cruise in the new Mission Impossible movie.

Hannah skyrocketed to prominence after starring in Ted Lasso and won a new legion of fans when she presented Eurovision.

But while the blossoming of her late career comes out of the blue for most, her family has always expected it.

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, her father Harry revealed, “We are not at all surprised by the admiration that Hannah is receiving, who is now being described as a national treasure.”

Hannah made audiences swoon with her witty banter, dancing skills and camera presence as one of the co-hosts of Eurovision, which aired last month to a global audience of 160 million.

The actress was hailed as the show’s “true winner” and a new national icon, surpassing co-hosts Alesha Dixon, Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina and the BBC’s Graham Norton.

Hannah’s father insisted that his daughter’s emergence as an A-lister in her 40s has been in the pipeline since she was just four years old when she stated she wanted to be an actress.

Harry, 82 sprung: ‘My wife Melodie and I are both extremely proud parents. Our daughter has worked hard for this all her life.

“It’s great to see her getting the recognition she deserves from the British public.

‘Hannah is an excellent actor, has a beautiful voice and is also a great dancer. She is also very charming and humorous and that really came across on television. It’s hard for us to put into words how proud we are of her.’

Relieved: The Primetime Emmy Award winner styled her long blonde locks in a low ponytail and tied her bangs up in a neat quiff when she was seen laughing with a friend

Proud: Hannah’s appearance comes after her proud father expresses delight in her status as a national treasure (pictured in 2011 with her father Harry and mother Melodie)

Harry revealed that he hadn’t seen Hannah in several months as she was filming with Tom Cruise ahead of the Eurovision presentation for the next Mission Impossible movie – Dead Reckoning Part Two – due out in June 2024.

He said, “She’s been really busy acting with Tom Cruise and as you can imagine, I’m really excited about that.” It’s very big and will give Hannah even more exposure.

“Tom Cruise is a big name and I talked to her about the movie, but I was actually more interested in him. Your daughter doesn’t come into contact with someone so famous every day.

“She said he’s a really nice, down-to-earth guy and it was a great experience to be in a movie with him.

“I can totally understand why the British public now views Hannah as a national treasure, but I promise you she is very focused and dedicated to her work and there will be more to come from her.”

Hannah has previously spoken about the difficulties of balancing her career with motherhood.

She has daughter Kitty, eight, from a previous relationship with Italian hotelier Gianluca Cugnetto.

When her daughter was three, she became seriously ill with a rare autoimmune disease – known as Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) – and Hannah had to rush home from where she was filming in Belfast.

After finally seeing Kitty the next day, Hannah told her agents that she no longer wanted acting jobs that would require her to travel.

Successful: Hannah shot to public prominence after starring in Ted Lasso and won a new legion of fans when she hosted the Eurovision Song Contest last month (pictured)

Within two months, she landed the starring role of Richmond FC owner Rebecca Welton, who hires hapless American coach Ted Lasso because she wants the team not to blame her former husband.

The hit comedy show was filmed just 40 minutes from the house she shares with her daughter in Surrey.

Harry said: ‘Despite her career, Hannah’s number one priority is being a mother and she is a very good and dedicated hands-on mother. Her daughter comes first, as it should be.

She’s turned down a lot of good roles in the past so she can be close to Kitty. But that’s gotten a little less as she (Kitty) has gotten older.”