Interview: Sarah Hadland

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From the West End to Hollywood, Sarah Hadland has starred on small and silver screens alike, playing Stevie in much-loved sitcom ‘Miranda’, set in Surrey, and in ‘Bond’ film ‘Quantum of Solace’ alongside Daniel Craig and Surrey’s own Dame Judi Dench. She’s also enjoyed under-the-radar theatre encounters with Tom Cruise and Sir Ian McKellen and made magnificent moves to the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ final last year, alongside her pro partner Vito Coppola, and recently wrapped filming season 2 of ‘Daddy Issues’ with David Morrissey and ‘White Lotus’ star Aimee Lou Wood.

“‘Daddy Issues’ is such a special show to be part of. The minute I read the script, I thought, ‘I’ve got to be Rita! I worked as a hairdresser for a week as a teen and managed to flood the salon,” says Sarah. “Working with Aimee and David was just a joy… I had no idea David was so funny! We all think of him as being very serious in gritty dramas, which makes it even funnier. Aimee is the most incredible person and the days filming in the salon are the best.

“I manifested Aimee getting her part in ‘White Lotus’! I told her she’d be perfect for the show, and she said, ‘Sarah! I’ve just got an audition for it!’ I said, ‘Right, I am manifesting that to happen; you’re going to get it!’”

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Epsom beginnings

Sarah’s professional roots started in Surrey, training at Epsom’s Laine Theatre Arts, whose other notable alumni include Warwick Davis and Victoria Beckham.

“Epsom holds so many happy memories for me,” Sarah says. “I loved living in Surrey for three years as a young person. It was where my dreams began to come true.”

“I left home in Cheshire at just 16 to train 200 miles away. I was so set on being a performer I couldn’t wait to go and remember crying on the phone to my mum as I was so happy to have achieved my goal.”

“I remember when the Great Storm happened. I was on a bus, determined to get to college that day, despite all the trees strewn across the roads.”

The multi-talented star then moved to the very heart of Epsom with three other students. “We lived with a family I absolutely loved. Epsom felt very safe, and we could just catch the train into the West End, which was so exciting.”

“I auditioned for quite a few places but Miss Betty Laine (who founded and, until very recently, ran the college) was the only person who offered me a place. I read a funny excerpt from ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ as part of my audition (a bizarre choice for an audition speech but it’s my favourite novel). Straight away she said I should be doing comedy.”

Sarah did ‘comedy numbers’ at Epsom Playhouse’s summer shows. “Years later, I performed there as a professional and it was quite surreal. I am indebted to Miss Laine for spotting that love for comedy in the 16-year-old me and nurturing it.”

“It felt like my dreams had the possibility to become a reality. I didn’t really do any partying. I was that student who wanted to do as many classes as possible. It was hard when all the tall girls I lived with did glamorous jobs abroad while I worked backstage at a theatre, but soon I was understudying on ‘A Slice of Saturday Night’ in the West End and I was off!”

Since treading the boards in the capital, Sarah’s often returned to her Surrey roots. “I’ve been back to Epsom to visit Miss Laine. It’s always a very emotional place for me…”

Favourite local places

Set in Surrey, sometimes showcasing Kingston, her hit TV series ‘Miranda’, meanwhile, must have been ‘such fun’!

“People still tell me how much they love the show. I’m also asked about ‘Horrible Histories’ a lot as each new generation discovers it. So much fun but a crazy job trying to be a woman from five different eras in one day!”

Although she lives in south east London Sarah adores green spaces further west. “I love Richmond Park. My child’s godfather lives close by and we always visit, especially for the deer watching. It’s also the best place to go running. I’ve run the London Marathon twice and did lots of training there. It’s the perfect place to escape to and reset from life’s crazy pace. My other favourite place is Wimbledon, thanks to my gorgeous friend, fellow actress Sally Phillips and her lovely dad Tim,” Sarah divulges. “I’ve also been to watch the tennis many times and it’s always a huge thrill.”

Sarah’s London theatre runs include The Trafalgar, starring in ‘Admissions’ with Alex Kingston, who has followed in Sarah’s foxtrotting footsteps and is a current contestant in ‘Strictly’ 2025.

Alex sought Sarah’s advice when asked to do the show. Of course, Sarah said she should do it. “Going all the way to the final, it feels like you’ve stepped into a different universe… thrilling and terrifying all at once.

“I was so lucky to be partnered with Vito, a friend for life. We’re both very high energy. I started off not wanting to do any lifts or too many spins but by the end I was the one saying, ‘We need more lifts!’ I absolutely loved the feeling and trusted Vito 100%. He made me feel I could do anything…”

By the final, those high-octane dance routines had taken their toll. “I was totally exhausted and only had Christmas off before doing the ‘Strictly’ live tour – a whole new level as it’s huge arenas. You feel like a rockstar coming out to 20,000 screaming fans – it’s wild!”

With Vito injured at the time, Sarah was paired with Nikita. “I felt very lucky to dance with two incredible pros.”

Back on the boards of London’s West End, she’s also starred in ‘Noises Off’. “A brilliant three-act farce about a terrible theatre company, you get to see the chaos backstage in the middle act,” she unveils. “And it goes at an insanely fast pace. People really love it and we even had Tom Cruise in the audience one night! That’s the thing about theatre; you get huge stars sneaking in to watch. Once, during an opening press show, a phone started ringing. The whole theatre then watched as Sir Ian McKellen stood up frantically searching for his mobile. He was mortified!”

Her other career highlights? “My favourite role is Trish in ITV’s ‘The Job Lot’,” Sarah discloses. “We did three series and I was nominated for an RTS (Royal Television Society) award for ‘Best Comedy Performance’. I was the only female nominee and so proud of that. It was also where I met two of my closest friends – Russell Tovey and Laura Aikman.”

“Russell introduced me to the wonderful charity I’m involved with. Magic Breakfast supports English and Scottish schools, providing breakfast for 300,000+ hungry children a day. The idea that little ones are struggling to learn through hunger seems so shocking, yet it’s a huge issue.”

Having just finished filming the latest series of ‘Daddy Issues’, Sarah recently took a post-filming R&R holiday in her ‘Strictly’ partner Vito’s homeland, Italy. “I was more than ready for a super-relaxing pampering break in beautiful natural surroundings, and this place blew me away…” Sarah stayed at the Valle dell’Erica on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda. “Stunning scenery, insane infinity pool, saltwater pools, luxury spa, plus a kids’ club to entice my little one… That feeling of space and freedom right by the sea is very special. It truly was paradise!”

Given her busy schedule, Sarah’s downtime was particularly precious. Three TV projects back-to-back, one filmed in freezing-cold snow followed by the next in tropical heat then another in the UK, alongside a short film and new cartoon series.

“I can’t talk about any of them yet, but the juggle was very real! On one job I was able to take my little one with me, which was fantastic. As a single mum, it’s a lot of logistics to make sure I’m away as little as possible and then rush home to London the minute I can!”