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White Wine Question Time
Amanda Abbington on resilience, reinvention, and choosing joy
Joining us today is a fearless and brilliant actress whose career has seen her light up stage and screen in everything from Sherlock to Mr. Selfridge, and whose life off-screen has been just as dramatic, heartbreaking, and inspiring as the roles she’s played. It’s the lovely Amanda Abbington!
In this episode, Amanda opens up about the defining chapters of her life so far, reflecting on the quiet end of her first marriage during one of the busiest periods of her career and how she began to rediscover herself as a single mum while navigating both the menopause and the chaos of modern dating. She also shares the story of finding love again with escapologist Jonathan Goodwin, who proposed just 30 minutes after they met, only for a life-altering accident to turn their lives upside down just weeks later. Amanda discusses Jonathan’s remarkable resilience, the strength of their love in the face of adversity, and the small, life-affirming moments that keep them going.
She also talks about her experience on Strictly Come Dancing – what led her to walk away, the storm that followed, and the importance of speaking up for herself and others. With humour, vulnerability and strength, Amanda reminds us that even in the hardest moments, joy, love and laughter are never far away.
You can catch Amanda in her new play This Is Not a Happy Room at Theatre Royal Windsor from 13–17 May.
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