Sarah Lancashire is an English actress whose career began in 1986. Lancashire's first acting roles were in local theatre, with small guest roles in television dramas and sitcoms. After coming to public attention with roles in popular programmes including Coronation Street (1991-1996, 2000), Where the Heart Is (1997–1999) and Clocking Off (2000), Lancashire signed a two-year golden handcuffs contract with the ITV network, appearing exclusively in ITV1 programming for the next two years. Lancashire has continued to work extensively across a variety of television drama genres, including guest appearances, regular roles in returning series and with featured roles in standalone miniseries' and television films. Her more prolific work includes the drama series' Lark Rise to Candleford (2008-2011), Last Tango in Halifax (2012-2020) and Happy Valley (2014, 2016, 2023). Lancashire has appeared in the feature films And When Did You Last See Your Father? and Dad's Army and has returned to West End Theatre several times since her 1990 stint in Blood Brothers. Her combined acting credits have earned Lancashire a number of awards and nominations over a career spanning four decades and a prominent status within the British Television Industry of the 21st century. Lancashire was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama.

Filmography

• Black Doves — Mrs. Reed
• Julia — Julia Child
• 2021Everybody's Talking About Jamie — Margaret New
• Alan Bennett's Talking Heads — Gwen
• MotherFatherSon — Angela Howard
• The Accident — Polly Bevan
• 2019Yesterday — Liz (Liverpool Stranger)
• 2018Christmas at St Paul's
• Kiri — Miriam Grayson
• School of Roars — Mrs. Twirlyhorn
• 2016Dad's Army — Mrs. Pike
• 2015Fair Cop: A Century of British Policewomen — Narrator
• 2015The Dresser — Madge
• 2015The First Film — Lizze Le Prince (voice)
• Happy Valley — Catherine Cawood
• Last Tango in Halifax — Caroline
• The Paradise — Miss Audrey
• Five Daughters — Rosemary Nicholls
• Upstairs Downstairs — Miss Whisset
• All the Small Things — Esther Caddick
• Wuthering Heights — Nelly Dean
• Inspector George Gently — Mallory Brown
• Lark Rise to Candleford — Adult Laura
• 2007And When Did You Last See Your Father? — Beaty
• Oliver Twist — Mrs Corney
• 2007Sex, the City and Me — Ruth Gilbert
• Skins — Mary
• 2006Angel Cake — Elaine Wilson
• Angel Cake — Elaine Wilson
• 2005Cherished — Angela Cannings
• Doctor Who — Miss Foster
• The Rotters' Club — Barbara Chase
• 2003Sons & Lovers — Gertrude Morel
• The Afternoon Play — Director
• 2002Birthday Girl — Rachel Jones
• Rose and Maloney — Rose Linden
• The Cry — Meg Bartlett
• 2001Back Home — Peggy Dickinson
• 2001Gentlemen's Relish — Violtet Askey
• The Glass — Carol Parker
• Chambers — Ruth Quirke
• Clocking Off — Yvonne Kolakowski
• 2000My Fragile Heart — Trina Lavery
• 2000Seeing Red — Coral Atkins
• Verdict — Anne Cloves QC
• Bloomin' Marvellous — Liz Deakin
• Where the Heart Is — Ruth Goddard
• 1995Coronation Street - The Feature Length Special — Raquel Watts
• 1992Exam Conditions — Secretary
• Murder Most Horrid — Karen Sullivan
• About Face — Rebecca
• Bradley — Wendy
• Watching — Ms. Linden
• The Bill — Girl on Train
• Dramarama — Janice Dobbs
• Coronation Street — Raquel Wolstenhulme / Raquel Watts

Appearances as themselves (6)

• Edwardian Britain in Colour — Self - Narrator
• 2004Amazing Gracie — Self (Narrator)
• 2004In Search of Tony Blair — Self (Narrator)
• Parkinson — Self - Guest
• 2003Strike: When Britain Went to War — Self - Narrator(voice)
• Going Live! — Self