Bridgerton star, 63, is fined after being caught speeding for FIFTH time but dodges ban as she needs to visit her mother

By ROBERT FOLKER, NEWS REPORTER Published: 19:33, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 19:44, 12 August 2026 Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh has dodged being banned from driving despite being caught speeding for the fifth time.  The 63-year-old, who plays Lady Agatha Danbury in the hit Netflix series, fought for her driving licence, saying she needs her car to visit her frail 85-year-old mother, who lives alone in a town in Shropshire.  She was convicted of speeding for the fifth time today, but claimed she would suffer 'exceptional hardship' if she lost her licence.  Appearing at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court, Andoh was told that the decision to allow her to keep her licence was 'borderline' and she cannot make the same argument for the next three years.  'Maybe your mum needs to get herself some assistance, and you cannot be relied on going forward,' Bench Chairwoman Joanne Rutledge said.  Andoh, of Herne Hill, South London, appeared at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court where she pleaded guilty to exceeding the 20mph speed limit while driving her black two-litre Volvo V60 on February 13 along the A2199 South Croxted Road, West Dulwich.  The £100,000-a-year star was fined £640, with £130 in costs, ordered to pay a £256 victim surcharge and was given another three penalty points, taking her total to 12. Andoh previously sparked controversy after she referred to the Buckingham Palace balcony during King Charles III's coronation as 'terribly white' during live coverage on ITV.  Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh appeared at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court where she pleaded guilty to exceeding the 20mph speed limit in West Dulwich. Pictured: Andoh leaving court The 63-year-old, who plays Lady Agatha Danbury in the hit Netflix series, fought for her driving licence, saying she needs her car to visit her frail 85-year-old mother, who lives alone in a town in Shropshire. Pictured: Andoh leaving Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court The actress, whose father was of Ghanaian origin, later described the coronation as 'marvellous' and said she 'didn't mean to upset anyone'.  Despite the backlash caused by the clip, Andoh appeared to have shaken off any hard feelings as she accepted an MBE from the heir to the throne, Prince William, last December.  During her hearing today, Andoh became emotional in the witness box when recalling the death of her Ghanaian father in January this year and fears her mother may go the same way if she cannot drive the four hours to her home. Residing in isolated Bishop's Castle, Shropshire means her mother is difficult to care for if public transport is her only option, Andoh told the magistrates.  'It is possible, but there is a lot of waiting around and it is a forty-minute drive from the train station to mum's town.  'My mum is an amazing woman. She was a schoolteacher, my games mistress, but she is physically frail and had cancer in the 1980's.  'She has osteoporosis, she's incontinent, her bladder doesn't work, she has blood clots and damaged kidneys.'  Prosecutor Charlotte Birch told the court Andoh was driving at 25mph when an automatic speed camera flashed at 3.42pm. She has four previous convictions for speeding on March 23, 2023; November 21, 2024; and January 31 and May 1 this year. Andoh (left) pictured playing Lady Agatha Danbury in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton Andoh also said she needs her licence to drive to her mother's brother, who has dementia and lives in Cornwall, as well as her mother's two sisters who live in Cardiff and Wimbledon, with one having a broken back and the other a broken ankle. 'Emergencies have arisen when I am at work, and I had to go, and they had to rejig things. 'Mum has a friendship group, but they are in their eighties and nineties. They are a hardy bunch. 'Mum's answer is that when she is too old to live in the house she will move into supported living with her friends and when they are too old for that the cottage hospital and then pop their clogs.' Moving to Andoh's south-east London home was also out of the question, said the star. 'Mum would absolutely hate it. What would she do all day? She would be incredibly lonely as all her friends are up there and she has lived there forty years.' Recalling one recent worrying incident with her mother, the actress explained: 'She sees moss in her gutters and decides to clean it and got out a step-ladder and fell off the step-ladder and cracked a disc in her spine. 'That was a particularly difficult injury. She is on blood thinners and when she cuts it takes months to heal. 'I was able to get up there, but after a week I had to go back to work and had to fly my brother over, who lives in Los Angeles. 'I've had a middle-of-the-night call and just packed a toothbrush and got in the car and go.  'Somebody could ring me and stay until I get there, but there is no support system for her. 'If I was disqualified for a fortnight or a month what happens is mum falls over in that fortnight? 'I suppose this year I feel particularly sensitive because of how dad died and I would hate for mum to be in hospital. I wouldn't like that. 'I was over the speed limit on these occasions. There is no argument about that.'