He more recently appeared in the ITV drama Vital Signs along with Tamzin Outhwaite and starred as King Richard in the Series 2 finale of Robin Hood. Waddington also starred as Wilfred of Ivanhoe in the 1997 BBC/A&E production of Ivanhoe, based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott. Additionally, Waddington starred as King Richard the Lion Heart in the BBC/Discovery Channel drama documentary "Heroes and Villains: Richard the Lionheart" (2007), a role he had already played in Robin Hood.

Waddington attended Lawns Park Primary School, Intake High School, both in Leeds and East 15 Acting School in Loughton.

From April 2010 to July 2010 he portrayed canteen head Adam Fleet in Waterloo Road.