3 days Ago By Frankie Collins
Bafta-winning actress Sarah Lancashire , known for her acclaimed roles in Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, has described being recognized with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to drama as an “unexpected delight.” The 60-year-old actress, who first gained fame in the 1990s as Raquel Watts in Coronation Street , reflected on her career and personal challenges while receiving the honour. Lancashire has been candid about her personal life, particularly her first marriage to music teacher Gary Hargreaves.
The pair met when she was 18 and married by the time she was 22, eventually sharing two sons, Thomas and Matthew. However, Lancashire has described the union as “tough” and admitted it lasted far longer than it should have. “I got married only because I was pregnant.
Simple as that. I am a very traditional girl and was horrified at the thought of having a child out of wedlock. She continued: "I didn’t want a child of mine to be different or have fingers pointed at,” she said in an interview with The Telegraph in 2001.
" Reflecting further, she shared, “It all seems ridiculous. Now, I just tell people to get lost, and it feels great. But my marriage lasted for 10 years, which was 10 years longer than it should have done.
It was tough.” The actress and Hargreaves eventually separated in 1995. Following their split, Lancashire spent several years focusing on herself before meeting her current husband, TV producer Peter Salmon.
The pair’s paths crossed while she was starring in Coronation Street as Raquel Watts where Salmon was working with the show’s producers. Their relationship blossomed, and during a trip to New York in 2001, Salmon proposed. Later that same year, the couple tied the knot in a private ceremony attended by her Corrie co-stars, including Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts) and Charlie Lawson (Jim McDonald).
In 2003, Lancashire and Salmon welcomed their son, Joseph, into the world. The actress also became stepmother to Salmon’s three sons from his previous marriage to Penny Watt. Reflecting on their relationship, Lancashire has described her marriage to Salmon as a happy and fulfilling partnership.
Sarah stars alongside Kiera Knightly and Ben Wishaw in Netflix's newest spy drama, Black Doves. Released earlier this moneth, the series follows Helen, a dedicated wife and mother who lives a double life as a secret spy for a mysterious organisation. But, an unexpected assassination leaves her at risk and uncovers a dark underworld.
The drama has nail-biting tension, dramatic fights and shoot outs. Black Doves marks Sarah Lancashire's first move into streaming. "Well, the joy is that I haven't played anybody like her before," she explained in a press Q&A.
"She's a very self-contained character, but it's all going on inside. I think because she's given the best years of her life to an organisation which has probably robbed her of a partner, children, family, friends, it's grim.".
