British acting legend, 89, finally receives Emmy for role despite being ‘pretty much retired’

One of Britain’s most admired acting stars has finally received an Emmy Award for a role she’s played for five years.

In 2020, the first season of Bridgerton premiered on Netflix, quickly becoming a corset-busting and high tea-drinking phenomenon.

The show made global stars of several up-and-coming actors, including Phoebe Dynevor, Regé-Jean Page and Jonathan Bailey.

However, the cast also featured several widely-known performers, including the legendary Dame Julie Andrews as the voice of Lady Whistledown, the alias of Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope Featherington.

Dame Julie, 89, has been nominated for an Emmy Award four times for her performance as Lady Whistledown – in 2021, 2022 and 2025 for Bridgerton, and in 2023 for Queen Charlotte.

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