Sarah Hadland on possible Miranda comeback: ‘There’s the pressure of the expectation’

The actress, 50, on working with her lookalike, meeting Morgan Freeman and whether there’ll be more Miranda.

How are you, Sarah?

I’m good. I’ve just had my first jab. I’m thrilled. It was hilarious because they were offering people badges and stickers and some people weren’t taking them. Why would you not? So I was there with my sticker and badge. I was like, this is history, get your jab! I just feel so grateful, I thanked everybody on the way out. People who didn’t even work there!

What has Covid put a stop to for you?

I’d been due to do a film, which got blocked. I’d just finished a run in the West End doing Noises Off and I’m so grateful we got to complete that run. I’m gutted we didn’t film it because I’ve enjoyed watching plays online during lockdown. It’s heartbreaking, what’s happening to theatre. I just hope it comes back as quickly as possible. But I filmed [crime comedy] Murder, They Hope last year, which was a fantastic experience I wasn’t expecting to have in lockdown.

How was it working with Sian Gibson and Johnny Vegas on Murder, They Hope?

I’ve always wanted to work with Sian because people often mistake us for each other, so it was a no-brainer to play her sister in it. Johnny Vegas I’d never worked with either but I’ve always loved him, I think he’s brilliant. And then all the other actors involved. It was just a dream job.

Did you have input into your character Monica’s outfits?

Yes, I dyed my hair red and I did a big fitting, which was really good fun. The minute they said Monica was very over-the-top, I was delighted.

Did you chat to your friend and sitcom co-star Miranda Hart during lockdown?

Yeah, I’ve kept in touch with all my friends. Miranda and I did an Insta-live thing last summer, which the fans all absolutely loved — so that was sweet. Zoom became everybody’s saviour, so I had weekly meetings and fancy-dress quizzes with friends.

How did the show Miranda change things in your career?

All of us had worked quite a lot up until that point but if you’re in a show the public really takes to, it does change things. It was seen as a very warm show that united a lot of families — kids, parents and grandparents could all sit and watch together, which is quite unusual. I got my first TV lead in ITV comedy The Job Lot while we were doing series two but I still auditioned. We made a choice to make me look completely different to Stevie — I had a wig.

It’d be a perfect time to bring The Job Lot back as a lot of people are looking for jobs…

It would be really apt to bring it back and it was actually trending a few weeks ago as people are just discovering it on Netflix. The sign ‘West Midlands Job Centre’ is still up in Bethnal Green ready to go, we could start it tomorrow. The writers were absolutely brilliant. It’s such a shame ITV didn’t stick with it.

You also do a few kids’ shows…

Yes, I was in the original cast of Horrible Histories. In the same day I’d be Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, a cavewoman and an old crone. I’ve dipped in and out of it over the years and I get kids coming up to me, saying all the words from a sketch I’ve no recollection of. And at the moment I voice Tiniest Fluffiest Bunny in Love Monster on CBeebies. I also voice Daisy in the cartoon Daisy And Ollie on C5 that Jason Manford writes.

Do you get star-struck?

I met Morgan Freeman at the press night for 42nd Street at Drury Lane, which was quite bizarre. I took my mum and on the red carpet, a photographer said, ‘Sarah, look behind you’, and it was Morgan Freeman. I went, ‘Oh my God!’ And I think he was a bit confused and started to shake my hand while photographers took pictures. He looks terrified in them whereas I look like I’ve won a competition. It was funny because my mum didn’t know who he was and said, ‘Is he in Emmerdale? I’m not an Emmerdale fan.’ That really tickled me. She did actually watch Shawshank Redemption not long afterwards and rang me to say what a brilliant actor he was, like she’d just discovered him.

3 BRAND NEW comedy murder mysteries start in just 3 days as @JohnnyVegasReal and @Sianygibby return alongside an all-star cast in #MurderTheyHope! pic.twitter.com/KEp9QsanGS

— GOLD (@goldchannel) May 5, 2021

Who makes you laugh the most on telly?

Alan Carr is just so infectious and Graham Norton always makes me laugh. There’s an amazing guy on YouTube, Luke Millington-Drake, who does impressions of Keira Knightley. The great thing about YouTube is that you get access to all these talents and that’s something that’s happenedin lockdown.

You had a 10-year anniversary show for Miranda last year. Will there be more?

It just depends if Miranda wants to write it. It certainly seems like there’s still an appetite for it. It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, we’d like there to be another one,’ but she’s got the added pressure of the expectation.

Murder, They Hope starts on Gold on Saturday

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