Sarah Hadland is swapping scripts for sales pitches in tonight’s Celebrity Apprentice. But who exactly is the actress taking on Lord Sugar’s boardroom?
The TV favourite is one of 13 famous faces appearing in the BBC’s festive special, which sees the celebrity candidates travel to Lapland to raise money for Children in Need.
As Sarah Hyland puts her business brain to the test, Celebrity Apprentice viewers may be wondering where they’ve seen her before – and what she’s shared about her life away from the cameras.
Who is Sarah Hadland? How old is she?
Sarah Hadland was born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, on May 15, 1971, making her 54 years old. Her interest in performing started early, with Sarah joining an am-dram group while at Wilmslow High School before enrolling at Laine Theatre Arts at just 16.
Performing runs in the family. Sarah’s mum Jill – affectionately nicknamed Beaky – was a talented child ballerina who gave up dancing at 19 while training to be a Prima Ballerina. Sarah also spent much of her childhood in New Quay, West Wales, visiting her grandparents and cousins.
She has previously said: “I still like to do the things I did as a child. We visit nearby Honey Farm and eat honey ice cream. I might go looking for seals on my uncle’s small boat and sometimes we travel down to Cardigan Bay to look for dolphins.”
What has Sarah been in before?
Sarah is best known for starring in the BBC sitcom Miranda. She played Stevie Sutton alongside close friend and creator Miranda Hart. The pair remain best friends, despite Sarah initially thinking they might not click.
She once told The Observer: “I remember looking her up on the internet and thinking, ‘We have nothing in common, you’re posh’.”
Her career began on the West End stage in musicals including Cats and Grease, before moving into television roles in Bad Girls and The Bill. She later played English teacher Linda Radleigh in Waterloo Road and appeared in Horrible Histories, ITV’s The Job Lot and, more recently, Midsomer Murders.
In 2008, Sarah appeared in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace, playing the Ocean Sky receptionist. Last year, she reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Vito Coppola, with Miranda Hart spotted supporting her in the audience. Viewers may also recognise her from The Great Pottery Showdown Christmas special.
Is Sarah Hadland married? Does she have a husband?
When it comes to her personal life, Sarah keeps things private. She has never publicly discussed whether she has a partner or husband, a policy she shares with Miranda. However, Sarah has spoken openly about motherhood.
She has one child, a daughter, whom she refers to as her “little one”. During Strictly Come Dancing, she revealed that a Foxtrot she performed to Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather was special because she and her daughter sing it together. Sarah also spoke about the challenges of balancing work and parenting. She said she would love “a double of me” to help manage it all.
Asked how she would like to be remembered, Sarah replied simply: “As a good mum.”
Sarah Hadland on The Celebrity Apprentice
Tonight, Sarah appears in the Celebrity Apprentice Christmas special. She joins fellow contestants including Rob Rinder and AJ Odudu.
The Celebrity Apprentice sees Lord Alan Sugar whisk the celebs off to Lapland. They are split into teams and tasked with creating festive biscuits to sell for Children in Need.
What time does The Celebrity Apprentice start?
In the first episode, Sarah is seen debating names for her team’s penguin biscuit character. She jokingly tells Gladiators star Matt Morsia that he is “full of himself”, adding: “When you slam somebody else’s idea, you need to have something to offer instead.”
The Celebrity Apprentice airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. A second episode follows tomorrow night at the same time. The BBC has also confirmed that a full series of Celebrity Apprentice will air in 2026, giving fans plenty more boardroom drama to look forward to.
Read more: The Celebrity Apprentice to return for a two-part Christmas special
The Celebrity Apprentice starts at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Monday December 29, 2025.
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