You know what? There’s rather a lot of smart stuff being shown on our telly screens at the moment. And Sarah Hadland, the actress who had us laughing for years as loveable Stevie in Miranda, is killing it on Strictly Come Dancing.
But here’s the thing that everyone’s been saying – she’s doing this at 54 years of age, and she’s not having a bar of that “too old” rubbish.
Born on 15 May 1971, Sarah Hadland age is currently 54 years old, and honestly, she’s proving that numbers are just that – numbers. She even reached the Strictly final with pro dancer Vito Coppola, coming second in what was a cracker of a series. Not bad for someone who the tabs keep banging on about being “middle-aged”, eh?
The Woman Behind The Sequins
What’s interesting about Sarah Hadland is that she has been around the entertainment block for yonks. She began dancing at age three (I bet her mother was thrilled about that!) and was educated at the Laine Theatre Arts College in Surrey.
By 19, she was already taking it to the boards in West End productions of Cats and Grease. That’s proper dedication, that is.
But it’s her telly acting work that has earned her household status. Of course, we mostly all know her as Stevie from Miranda, that character best known for belting out Heather Small’s “Proud” (yes, she eventually danced to it on Strictly, much to everyone’s delight).
She was also in everything from Horrible Histories to a scene-stealing part in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace. Not bad for a Hertfordshire girl.
Speaking Her Mind About Age
This is where Sarah Hadland gets properly brilliant. And, while on her Strictly journey, she said something that struck a chord with so many women watching at home: “I’d love for my age not to be commented on. We really need to change the narrative that women have this, like, expiration date. I know loads my age who are super fit and active; they don’t drop off the ends of the Earth.”
Spot on, Sarah. Absolutely spot on.
Even better is that she’s not just talking the talk – she means business when it comes to dancing. Vito and she dominated with their performances week after week that had the judges on their feet.
They racked up 36 points during Musicals Week with their Charleston and also made history by getting the highest score of any celebrity doing a Quickstep in week one. Take that, age stereotypes.
The Private Side Of Sarah Hadland
As for her private life, Sarah Hadland likes to keep things pretty close to the chest – which is totally fair enough. The answer to “What is Sarah Hadland age?” might not be that much of a secret, but there are those grey areas.
Is Sarah Hadland married? Who is Sarah Hadland partner? Well, no, she isn’t. She’s a single mum, in fact, and Vito has spoken eloquently about how much he’s admired seeing her balance the punishing Strictly schedule with motherhood.
When it comes to Sarah Hadland children, she has a daughter who is completely out of the limelight. While on Strictly, she dedicated an emotional foxtrot, jiving to Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather”, a song they sing together at home. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, I can tell you.
As for Sarah Hadland partner stuff, she’s remained pretty private about that part of her life throughout the years. The question of is Sarah Hadland in a relationship isn’t one she’s chosen to answer publicly, and good for her. Not everything needs to be splashed across the papers, does it?
The Strictly Adventure
Sarah Hadland’s Strictly journey has been nothing short of magical. She was matched up with Vito Coppola, the winner from last year, and hit it off right away. And she’s been happily frank about fancying him — “I’m alive, aren’t I?” she said when asked.
Classic British humour, that. But at the same time, she was quick to quip that she simply didn’t have the energy for any Strictly Curse shenanigans: “I can either do the dance or have an affair, but I can’t do both.”
What’s been really wonderful to watch is how she’s found her confidence throughout the series. But she confessed it never even entered her mind to pursue such a physically demanding schedule at this point in her life and Vito pushed her beyond what she believed was possible.
“My body seems to learn even in the absence of my brain,” she said, which had everyone nodding along in recognition.
And the relationship between them was different. Vito actually met her ginger cat Percy (who has become a bit of an Instagram star himself) and they formed a relationship that was more than just professional.
He has referred to her as “one of the strongest women I’ve ever met in my life”, and that’s quite lovely, really?
Life In London
When she’s not practising sequin-covered routines, Sarah Hadland is based in Blackheath, London, and loves the farmers’ market and yearly street party. She’s got a good tight group of mates: her Miranda co-star and mate Miranda Hart, Clare Balding and Patricia Hodge.
Apparently they all meet up in someone’s house to watch the final of Strictly each year. Wonder what that gathering was like this year when Sarah was actually in it!
Why This Matters
This is what’s so significant about Sarah Hadland being on Strictly – she’s demonstrating to the millions of women watching that your fifties can be a period of experimentation, pushing boundaries and outright flourishing.
She is not pretending it’s easy – there have been candid admissions about the gruelling training regime, the tiredness and how hard it has been juggling it all as a mum. But she’s doing it anyway, and doing so brilliantly.
The fact that we’re still having conversations about women‘s ages in 2024 is bonkers, really. Men on Strictly aren’t relentlessly quizzed about whether they’re “too old” to be doing high kicks in the Lycra.
But women? A different story entirely. Sarah’s dealing with that head-on, and not by making some grand speeches, just by being really good at what she does.
Looking Ahead
Sarah Hadland’s not slowing down any time soon. She’s been in shows like Murder, They Hope and Daddy Issues recently so she’s clearly still sought after as an actress.
Her friendship with Miranda Hart appears as strong as ever, too – she was a guest at Miranda’s wedding in 2024, and it is delightful to think that their on-screen relationship grew into something real.
The Strictly experience has clearly meant the world to Sarah. She had been asked to do the show 10 times before she finally said yes, which means she wanted to do it when it was right for her, on her terms.
And what perfect timing it was; she got to make the final, inspire countless viewers, and prove that talent, hard work, and determination matter far more than what year you were born.
So next time someone asks, “What is Sarah Hadland age?”, the answer is simple: She’s 54 and she’s really good at it. She’s demonstrating that women in their fifties can face physical challenges, learn new stuff and shine on one of the biggest stages in British entertainment.
And she’s managing to do it all while being a mum and friend who isn’t afraid to talk about what she believes is important.
That’s not just good telly – that’s properly inspiring stuff. Fair play to her.
