Sarah Lancashire: 16 things you didn't know about the British actress
Sarah Lancashire is best known for acting in BBC1's Happy Valley series and the Coronation Street soap opera in the 90s. Happy Valley is a popular British crime thriller series filmed in Northern England. Sarah Lancashire plays WestYorkshire Sergeant Catherine Cawood in the show.
Source: Original
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Profile summary
- Interesting facts about Sarah Lancashire
- 1. She was born in Oldham, England
- 2. Her father was a famous person
- 3. She has a twin brother
- 4. The actress did other jobs before becoming an actress
- 5. Acting was not her childhood dream career
- 6. She has appeared in over 50 films and TV shows
- 7. She won a BAFTA award
- 8. She received an OBE award
- 9. She is Gary Hargreaves' ex-wife
- 10. She battled depression and brain fog
- 11. The actress is happily married
- 12. She is a mother
- 13. She keeps her private life out of social media
- 14. She is a millionaire
- 15. Her family lives in London
- 16. She made a case for stories of "Hope and Aspiration."
- FAQs
Sarah Lancashire is a highly respected English actress known for her versatile television, film, and theatre roles. She gained fame for her work on British TV, particularly in dramas and soap operas.
Profile summary
| Real name | Sarah-Jane Abigail Lancashire |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 10 October 1964 |
| Age | 59 years old (as of September 2024) |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Place of birth | Oldham, United Kingdom |
| Current residence | London |
| Nationality | English |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height | 5'7" (170 cm) |
| Weight | 65 lbs (75 kgs) |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Blue |
| Mother | Hilda |
| Father | Geoffrey Lancashire |
| Siblings | 3 |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Spouse | Peter Salmon |
| Children | 3 |
| School | Oldham Hulme Grammar School |
| Profession | Actress |
| Net worth | $20 million |
Interesting facts about Sarah Lancashire
Sarah Lancashire is widely regarded for her ability to portray strong and vulnerable characters. She has received numerous awards throughout her career, including BAFTAs. Below are some interesting facts about Sarah Lancashire's life:
1. She was born in Oldham, England
Sarah-Jane Abigail Lancashire was born on 10 October 1964 in Oldham, Lancashire, England. She is 59 years old as of September 2024. The actress attended Oldham Hulme Grammar School and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1986.
2. Her father was a famous person
Her father, Geoffrey Lancashire, was a television scriptwriter best known for his work on popular comedy series like The Lovers and The Cuckoo Waltz. He also contributed significantly to the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, writing 171 episodes during the 1960s.
Geoffrey Lancashire died on 3 October 2004 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK. Sarah's mother, Hilda, worked as Geoffrey's assistant.
Source: Original
3. She has a twin brother
Sarah Abigail is the only daughter in her family, with three brothers: an older brother, a twin brother, and a younger brother. Sarah Lancashire's twin brother, Simon, is a doctor. Her other brothers are John and James. Sarah remains close to all three siblings despite her rapid rise to fame.
4. The actress did other jobs before becoming an actress
She worked for the Manchester Library Theatre Company. She also worked as a drama teacher at Salford University before becoming a full-time actress.
5. Acting was not her childhood dream career
Sarah Abigail's creativity is from her parents, Geoffrey Lancashire (scriptwriter) and Hilda (Geoffrey's assistant). The actress never planned to get into acting until she turned 18. She worked hard for a role in Coronation Street instead of using her father's connections.
6. She has appeared in over 50 films and TV shows
Her first TV role was in the 1988 TV series Dramarama. She got a breakthrough in 1990 from the Blood Brothers stage play at London's Albury Theatre. Sarah then got the Raquel Wolstenhulme character on Coronation Street in 1991 and left the show in 1996 to pursue other projects.
One of her famous films is Where the Heart Is. In 2014, Lancashire started acting in Happy Valley. According to her IMDb profile, other Sarah Lancashire's movies and TV shows include:
| Year | Film/TV show |
| 2022-2023 | Julia |
| 2014-2023 | Happy Valley |
| 2021 | Everybody's Talking About Jamie |
| 2020 | Alan Bennett's Talking Heads |
| 2012-2020 | Last Tango in Halifax |
| 2019 | The Accident |
| 2019 | Yesterday |
| 2019 | MotherFatherSon |
| 2017-2018 | School of Roars |
| 2018 | National Treasure: Kiri |
| 2016 | Dad's Army |
| 2015 | The Dresser |
| 2012-2013 | The Paradise |
| 2012 | Upstairs Downstairs |
| 2008-2011 | Lark Rise to Candleford |
What is Sarah Lancashire's Netflix show?
Sarah Lancashire is set to star in Black Doves, which has already been renewed for a second season even before the first season's release. In Sarah Lancashire's new drama, she takes on the role of spymaster Reed.
Set in London, the series also features Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw and is expected to premiere later this year. The story revolves around a spy determined to uncover the truth behind her lover's murder. Netflix recently confirmed the renewal on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
A reminder that Black Doves comes to Netflix later this year – and it's already been renewed for a second season!
7. She won a BAFTA award
Did Sarah Lancashire win a BAFTA? In April 2015, Sarah Lancashire earned her fourth BAFTA television nomination, marking her first in the Best Actress category.
She was honoured as Best Leading Actress as Sergeant Catherine Cawood in the final episode of Sally Wainwright's thriller Happy Valley set and filmed in Yorkshire. Accepting the award, Lancashire expressed her gratitude, saying:
I feel very, very privileged to have been surrounded by these brilliant actors and I thank each and every one of you.
She also extended her thanks to Charlotte Moore, the BBC's chief content officer, and the broadcaster, stating:
For giving this very British drama a very British home.
Many took to social media to share their thoughts on Sarah Lancashire's significant achievement and overall show.
8. She received an OBE award
Prince William gave Lancashire the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours. Lancashire's career, which spanned over four decades, earned her at least 36 television and theatre awards nominations, out of which she won 20.
9. She is Gary Hargreaves' ex-wife
Is Sarah Lancashire married? She divorced her first husband, Gary Hargreaves, in 1996. Sarah was 17 when she met Gary, who was 28 years old, in 1982. The musical director helped her while she was competing in X-Factor. Gary left his troubled marriage and stayed at a friend's house before he started dating Sarah.
Sarah Lancashire, 22, was pregnant on her wedding day. The duo married on 21 February 1987 at St Thomas's in Oldham. The family lived in a one-bedroom flat in Oldham and survived on coupons because of debts. After buying a house, the couple rented out the apartment, and the actress got her second son in 1989.
Source: Getty Images
10. She battled depression and brain fog
The actress was so depressed in her 20s that she almost lost her job on Coronation Street. Her mother helped her get medical attention. Sarah recently opened up about her struggle with brain fog caused by menopause.
She shared that during a recent trip to the supermarket, she completely forgot why she was there, highlighting the impact of the symptoms she has been experiencing. She told The Mail:
I'm having the most terrible menopause. I've got brain fog. I was in Sainsbury's the other day, and I found myself just stood there in the aisle and could not remember what I was there for. It just comes over you all of a sudden. I can't remember things that happened 30 years ago either.
11. The actress is happily married
Sarah Lancashire's husband is Joseph Peter Salmon. She first met Peter while playing the role of Raquel Watts on Coronation Street, a character she portrayed from 1991 to 1996.
Peter Salmon was working for Coronation Street producers at Granada Studios. The couple, who started dating in 2000, were introduced by a producer on the soap, Carolyn Reynolds, during a dinner. Carolyn shared this story on BBC Radio 4 in 2022, stating.
I feel like I played a bit of a cupid.
Peter proposed to Sarah during a romantic trip to New York over Easter in 2001. The couple married just a few months later in a private ceremony at the historic Langar Hall, a country home and hotel in Nottinghamshire.
In an interview with The Telegraph following her engagement, Sarah explained why marriage was "necessary" for her.
Marriage is not for everyone, but spiritually it is very necessary for me because I have a desire, a need to feel owned. Not physically or mentally owned. I want to be owned spiritually. I want to belong to somebody. Marriage is a pact, a conspiracy of ownership. And I want that.
12. She is a mother
Sarah Lancashire welcomed two sons during her first marriage to music lecturer Gary Hargreaves. Their first son, Thomas, was born in 1987, followed by their second son, Matthew, in 1988.
In a past interview with The Telegraph, Sarah shared that she decided to get married after discovering she was pregnant with her first child.
I'm a very traditional girl and was horrified at the thought of having a child out of wedlock. I didn't want a child of mine to be different or have fingers pointed at them. The marriage lasted for 10 years which was 10 years longer than it should have done.
Two years after marrying her current husband, Peter, Sarah Lancashire welcomed her third son, Joseph, in 2003. Sarah is also a stepmother to Peter's three sons from his previous marriage to Penny Watt.
13. She keeps her private life out of social media
Sarah Lancashire of the Happy Valley series hates being the centre of attention in public. She keeps her family and marital life away from the limelight, and her social media posts are always work-related.
After her engagement to Peter, Sarah Lancashire expressed her desire to keep her personal life away from the public eye.
We are not a public couple and we don't make our careers out of being a public couple. I know that people are interested but I don't even like talking about my relationship with Peter. And I guard it because it is very precious. It is not a piece of drama, it is real life. My normal life. And I value my normality.
14. She is a millionaire
According to Naija News and the Daily Express, Sarah Lancashire's net worth is reportedly around $20 million, which she accumulated through her successful acting career.
Due to Lancashire's exceptional ability to connect with television audiences, ITV signed her to an exclusive two-year contract in July 2000, known as a "golden handcuffs" deal.
This agreement, valued at £1.3 million, made her the highest-paid actress in British television and the first to receive such a contract from ITV.
Source: Getty Images
15. Her family lives in London
Sarah Lancashire prefers to keep her personal life private outside the public eye. She lives with her husband, Peter Salmon, in a five-bedroom, £3 million home in London. Sarah, who has two sons from her previous marriage, Tom and Matthew, has mentioned that she finds her greatest joy at home with her family.
The older that I get, the harder it is to be away from home. I love being at home. I'm very much a mum when I go home – the mums among us know it's a full-time job.
16. She made a case for stories of "Hope and Aspiration."
Sarah Lancashire has a message for the whole industry. She emphasizes the importance of kindness, collaboration, and support within the entertainment industry. She highlights the codependency among those involved in filmmaking, stressing that success is often a result of mutual respect and teamwork.
They say the two happiest days of when you have a boat are the days you buy it and the day you sell it. My favorite moments are getting the job and the final wrap, but as long as we have each other, as long as we decide we are a codependent industry, I want to be a part of it. Kindness is so important. You have to learn to collaborate. The best directors are the ones who want to work with the actors. But there are still quite a few of them who prefer backseat driving.
During a chat with Lars Blomgren, head of international at Media Res, she opened up about her career. She reflected on her journey, sharing how her career has evolved, mainly through roles that deeply affected her emotionally, such as Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley and Julia in Julia. She recalled:
When I was 24, I had two babies and left them with my mom to look after. I was doing a show at West End, for minimum wage. After a year, having made no financial gain at all, I really had to stop and question what I was doing and why.
FAQs
- Who is Sarah Lancashire from Coronation Street? She is an English actress known for her work in television and theatre.
- Is Sarah Lancashire her real name? Her real name is Sarah-Jane Abigail Lancashire.
- Has Sarah Lancashire got a twin brother? She has a twin brother named Simon, who is a doctor.
- What is Sarah Lancashire's height and weight? She is 5 feet 7 inches (170 centimetres) tall and weighs approximately 165 pounds (75 kilograms).
- Who is Sarah Lancashire's husband? She is married to television executive Peter Salmon.
- What is Sarah Lancashire best known for? She is known for her roles in Happy Valley (2014), Yesterday (2019) and Clocking Off (2000).
- Where is Sarah Lancashire today? She currently resides with her family in London.
Sarah Lancashire is committed to her work and family, although she rarely discusses her love life in press interviews. Fans hope they will keep seeing her on their screens for many years.
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