Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh has escaped a driving ban after telling the court that she needed to keep her licence so she could visit her elderly mother.
Andoh, 63, who is best known as Lady Danbury in the Netflix period drama, appeared at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court in south London on Wednesday. The star admitted speeding at 25mph in a 20mph zone in nearby Dulwich on the afternoon of February 13.
She pleaded with the court for leniency as it was known any more points would see her lose her licence; she already had nine points on her driving licence before the offence.
Court hears of 'exceptional hardship'
Andoh was relieved to hear magistrates decided not to hand the actress a ban after her defence team successfully argued the punishment would cause her “exceptional hardship”. They said it would mean she would not be able to drive and reach her elderly mother in an emergency.
The court heard the actress lived in London while her 85-year-old mother lived alone, a four-hour drive away. The hearing heard how Andoh's mother suffers from an “increasing level of fragility” and has no carers.
Andoh explained: "If I have to go, I have to go," when asked what would happen if her mother was in difficulty. “I’ve only got one mum,” Andoh added. She also explained that none of her children can drive and that her brother lives in Los Angeles. She told the hearing: "If it’s an emergency it would be me."
Fine and points imposed
While avoiding points on her licence, Andoh received a fine and was told to pay costs of £1,026 to the court. She was also given three points on her driving licence.
As well as Bridgerton, Andoh has appeared in Doctor Who as the Doctor’s assistant Martha Jones’ mother. She also had roles in Netflix’s fantasy drama The Witcher, as well as BBC soaps EastEnders and Casualty.
Husband 'never seen a second'
Andoh previously admitted her husband Howard Cunnell has ‘never seen a second’ of the hit series Bridgerton. She told Good Housekeeping: “My husband has never seen a second of Bridgerton. It’s not his thing.”
She also reflected on the show becoming an overnight hit back in December 2020. She went on: "Everyone was at a low ebb that Christmas. The combination of Covid, the success of platform streaming and the particular brand of storytelling adopted by [Shonda Rhimes-founded production company] Shondaland made Bridgerton this remarkable thing. And, of course, there was the sex!
“It had historic frothiness, it looked incredible and the casting was unprecedented; the genie is out of the bottle with Bridgerton’s way of framing historical romantic drama. The rest of the streamers have caught up now, but Bridgerton is still holding its place in the market, which is quite something.”
