At the age of 21, in 1992, she became one of the youngest nominees for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as the Narrator in the West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

She appeared as one of the orphans in the stage musical Annie and on television in several episodes of the BBC children's series Grange Hill.

In London, Hateley has starred in the original London revival production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as The Narrator (for which 21-year-old Linzi was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, becoming one of the youngest nominees for the award), Nancy in Oliver!, Éponine and Madame Thenardier in Les Misérables, Roxie Hart in Chicago, Martha in the original production of The Secret Garden, and Winifred Banks in the original production of Mary Poppins.

In 2021 Hateley returned to her role as the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium followed by a UK tour of the show in 2022.

In late 2024 and early 2025, she'll reprise the role of Madame Thenardier in Les Misérables as a part of the Arena Concert World Tour.