Olivia Colman pulls off a Welsh accent as she prank calls her old friend Paul Rudd live on the radio

Olivia Colman had Radio 1 listeners in stitches this week when she called in to the show while Paul Rudd was making a special guest appearance.

The 49-year-old The Crown actress managed to pull off a convincing Welsh accent while phoning in to Greg James’ Breakfast Show, where Paul was helping with listener issues during an ‘Ant-Man Agony segment’ .

Pretending to be a fan with a dilemma, she jokingly scolded the 53-year-old Hollywood actor for not telling her he was visiting the UK.

Calling ‘anonymously’, he asked: ‘What would you do if you had a close friend, of over 20 years, who doesn’t live in England but has come over? And he, not only has he not told you that he was visiting, but that he went on a radio show.

Paul began to piece together the similarities in the caller’s story when he realized she was talking about him, leaving host Greg unable to contain his laughter.

Got it: Paul Rudd was left red in the face after his longtime friend Olivia Colman pulled a prank on him during an appearance on Radio 1 this week.

Good job: The Crown actress, 49, managed to pull off a convincing Welsh accent while phoning in to the show and jokingly berated the actor for not telling her he was visiting the UK

The actor is currently in London for the premiere of his new Marvel movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which opened earlier this week.

And appearing on Radio 1, he started a segment called ‘Agony Ant-Man’ to help listeners with their dilemmas.

But caller number four had an ulterior motive, as it was actually her friend Olivia, who hails from Norfolk and lives in the UK.

Calling in a fake Welsh accent, he began: ‘Hi Paul, I’m a huge fan. So, I wanted to pick his brains. What would you do if you had a really good partner, like, you know, for over twenty years?

‘This friend, he doesn’t live in England but he has come to England and he hasn’t told you. And then, not only has he not told you, but he has come on a radio show. What would you do?’

Paul’s eyes instantly lit up with fear as he put the pieces together, he just chuckled and said, ‘Oh my gosh, oh no.

‘I know! Would you be offended? she probed Olivia.

Trying to defuse the situation, Paul quipped: ‘Personally, is it me? Absolutely not, I tend to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.’

Uh-oh! Paul’s eyes instantly lit up with fear as he put the pieces together as she talked about a “friend” who hadn’t told him she was visiting the UK, just giggled and said, “Oh my gosh, oh no.” .

Revealed: As Olivia started laughing and breaking character, she announced her identity, with Greg asking how the two knew each other.

Closing: Paul shared that he and Olivia (pictured together in 2019) go back ‘way back’ after starring in a play together over 20 years ago

Catching Olivia off guard, she began to laugh as Paul repeated ‘oh god’.

“Call number four, please reveal yourself,” said host James, before Olivia told Paul who he really was.

Surprised by her convincing act, Paul said, “My God, that’s so good, you can really do all the accents.”

During the call, Olivia had noted that she and the actor had been friends for “over twenty years”, and the couple detailed how they knew each other.

When Greg asked where they met and how the friendship started, Paul shared: ‘Oh we’re back, we’re really back. How many years, god?

“For twenty years, we were doing a play together and Paul used to come and stay on the floor of our rubbish flat in south London and come over for Sunday lunch and stuff and yeah,” Olivia explained.

Continuing: ‘Well, Paul was right in the play and I think he had about two lines. So, I was listening to the breakfast show like I always do (because I love you Greg James) and I heard that Paul Rudd is showing up to do Agony Ant-Man and I was like “WHAT?” so I emailed Greg and said “would it be okay to prank Paul?” and he said “heck yeah”.

Fans of the show loved actress Olivia’s joke, as one took to Instagram to comment, “A legend from each side of the pond.”

While stars like Alan Carr, Russell T. Davies and Chris Ramsey got a laugh too.

Busy: Paul is currently in the UK promoting his new film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which opened in London earlier this week (pictured with Greg James during the show)