Rachel Tucker, who found fame on BBC talent show I’d Do Anything alongside Jessie Buckley, has spoken out with an emotional statement after her former co-star won her first Oscar
Rachel Tucker has admitted she “couldn’t be prouder” of Jessie Buckley after her former co-star won an Academy Award. The actress, 44, found fame alongside Jessie, 36, when they both competed on the BBC’s I’d Do Anything in 2008.
The competition saw Andrew Lloyd Webber looking for an unknown actress to play the role of Nancy in the London revival of Oliver! and whilst eventual winner Jodie Prenger has enjoyed an accomplished career in theatre and is now probably best known for her role as Glenda Shuttleworth in Coronation Street, Jessie has gone onto major Hollywood success in the years since she finished in second place.
On Sunday, Jessie made history as the first Irish-born star to win the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Hamnet and now Rachel, who is from Belfast and placed fourth in the competition series, has spoken out.
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Sharing a video from an Irish bar in Jessie’s hometown of County Kerry in which the locals cheered as the news came in, Rachel wrote over the top: “This [crying emoji]. I couldn’t be more proud of an old pal of mine!”
Samantha Barks, now known for starring in Frozen, Les Miserables and winning The Masked Singer, also appeared in the series and finished in third place. Following her her own stint on I’d Do Anything, Rachel starred as Elphaba in Wicked on both the West End and Broadway before going on to appear in a host of other musicals like Come From Away. She recently starred alongside Strictly Come Dancing’s Amber Davies in The Great Gatsby and has also been seen in TV dramas such as Hope Street and Call the Midwife.
Just days before Jessie’s big win, Rachel spoke out in support of her former co-star and was sure that she was going to walk away with the award.
Speaking on Q Radio Afternoon with Jordan Arnold to promote her upcoming Gravity tour alongside fellow Wicked stars Louise Dearman and Kerry Ellis, she said: “It opened doors in the West End, that was the reason I went on went on the Nancy programme to open the doors I felt like were shutting.
“I knew I had the talent to back it up, I just had to be in front of the right people at the time. And look at Jessie, Oscar nominee, she’s gonna win it, she’s gonna win it!”
West End actress Katie Hall made it to the final 42 stage – known as Nancy School on the programme – and went on to star in The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.
She has now taken on the part of Sally Bowles in the London production of Cabaret, four years after Jessie originated the part and starred alongside Eddie Redmayne. Following the news, Katie wrote on Instagram: “Of course she won, there was no other option! Huge congratulations to our incredible original Sally.”
The I’d Do Anything format was the third of its kind, and followed on from Connie Fisher claiming the lead in The Sound of Music via How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do, which saw Lee Mead win the role of Joseph before going on to star in various other musicals and complete a two-year run in Casualty.
In 2010, Over the Rainbow found Danielle Hope to play the part of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and also brought Stephanie Davis to national attention before she went on to appear in Hollyoaks and Celebrity Big Brother after being eliminated from competition.
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Jessie starred as Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet, and received a Golden Globe for her performance earlier this year before picking up her first Oscar last night.
In her speech, Jessie, who has been married to Freddie Sorensen since 2023 and gave birth to their daughter Isla in 2025, became emotional as she took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in LA, having beaten off competition from Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Renate Reinsve, and Emma Stone.
On the verge of tears, Jessie said: “Thank you so much. This is…this is really something. Thank you to the incredible women that I stand beside; I am inspired by your art and your heart, and I want to work with every single one of you. To the producers who created this ship for us to stand in, and my shipmates for life—Hilda, Jessica, Lindsey, Zack—none of this is possible without you.
“My family, my Irish family, they’re all here. Mom, Dad, thank you for teaching us to dream and to never be defined by expectation and to carve from your own passion. You, Fred, I love you man. I love you; you’re the most incredible dad. You’re my best friend, and I want to have 20,000 more babies with you, I do. I do!”
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