Sarah Lancashire

Sarah Lancashire CBE
Lancashire in 2013
Born	Sarah-Jane Abigail Lancashire (1964-10-10) 10 October 1964 (age 60) Urmston, England
Education	Guildhall School of Music and Drama (BA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Works	Full list
Spouses	Gary Hargreaves ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1997)​ Peter Salmon ​ (m. 2001)​
Children	3
Relatives	Geoffrey Lancashire (father)
Awards	See full list

Sarah-Jane Abigail Lancashire (born 10 October 1964) is an English actress. Known for her work in television and theatre, she has received numerous accolades over a career spanning four decades, including three British Academy Television Awards and a nomination for an Olivier Award. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama^[1] and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2025 New Year Honours.^[2]

Lancashire graduated from drama school in 1986 and began her career in local theatre. She went on to play regular characters on Coronation Street (1991–1996, 2000), Where the Heart Is (1997–1999), and Clocking Off (2000). In July 2000, she signed a two-year golden handcuffs contract with the ITV network, making her the UK's highest-paid television actress at that time. Subsequent roles included Cherished (2005), Oliver Twist (2007), Lark Rise to Candleford (2008–2011), and Five Daughters (2010).

Since the 2010s, Lancashire has garnered critical acclaim for her roles in series such as The Paradise (2012), Last Tango in Halifax (2012–2020), Happy Valley (2014–2023), Kiri (2018), and Julia (2022–2023). On stage, she has starred in West End productions of Blood Brothers (1990), Guys and Dolls (2005-2006), and Betty Blue Eyes (2011). She is married and has three children.