My Ted Lasso Ship Singing ‘Shallow’ Will Break Me

A staple of Kansas City’s charity benefit show THUNDERGONG is Jason Sudeikis singing “Shallow,” from 2018’s A Star Is Born, in a duet with Will Forte. It has happened multiple times, and it is something that comedy fans love to watch. This year, something different went down for Ted Lasso fans.

As the familiar song began, Sudeikis rightfully took his place as Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper’s role in the film) and began singing, the typical “Tell me something girl” filling the theatre. But when it was time for Forte to join in as Ally (played by Lady Gaga in the film), he wasn’t the only one singing the role. This time around, a female voice joined in with him, and Forte quickly stopped.

Singing the Ally part of “Shallow” this year was none other than Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso co-star Hannah Waddingham. She’s known for her vocal talents, having played characters like the Witch in Into the Woods, as well as starring in her own variety show for Apple TV+ called Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas.

This version of “Shallow” though? This destroyed me as a Rebecca/Ted shipper.

On Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso, American football coach Ted (Sudeikis) goes to England to coach soccer for AFC Richmond, and while Rebecca (Waddingham) seemingly thought he was a joke at the beginning of the show, she grew to love him. Whether that was as a friend or something more is up to your interpretation, but I shipped the two as a romantic pairing, and now I am left coping in a world were Waddingham and Sudeikis sang “Shallow” at each other. Who can I call about this?

We’re far from the shallow now …

Maybe I should know better. “Shallow” isn’t exactly a love song, as Ally and Jackson are not a promising romantic couple. A Star Is Born doesn’t end happily, and Ted and Rebecca don’t end up together at the end of season 3 of Ted Lasso, either. Granted, as it currently stands, we don’t yet know what the future holds for the rest of the show, but it does seem like Ted’s journey is over and that doesn’t include a romantic future with Rebecca.

Oddly enough, maybe the song was our consolation prize. Much like Ally and Jackson, Ted and Rebecca were just never meant to be. So, we were gifted Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham singing a song that had us all in a chokehold for weeks after A Star Is Born’s first trailer dropped. Now, we can think of the “Oh ahhhhhahhhahhahhahhhhhh” and think of Hannah Waddingham.

It was all for a good cause as the THUNDERGONG event raises money for kids who have lost limbs and typically brings in celebrities that Sudeikis knows and has worked with to perform. This clip has just destroyed so many of us, especially those who love Ted and Rebecca, because it was a very good take on the song, but with Waddingham involved, that’s not surprising.

(featured image: Apple TV+)