Sarah Parish recently returned from a brief three-day escape in Cornwall with her husband James Murray and close friends, a rare moment of rest in her otherwise busy life. At 57, the Yeovil-born actress has spent the last decade skillfully juggling two very different but deeply meaningful paths: a dynamic acting career and the heartfelt mission of running a children’s charity inspired by personal loss.
In January 2009, Sarah and James faced devastating tragedy with the passing of their eight-month-old daughter, Ella-Jayne, who was born with the rare Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome and succumbed to congenital heart failure. Determined to create a lasting legacy in her daughter’s name, they founded The Murray Parish Trust. Since then, the charity has raised over £5 million for Southampton Children’s Hospital, where Ella-Jayne received care.
Earlier this year, the charity rebranded as Inspire This, shifting focus to fill a crucial gap in mental health support for seriously ill children and their families. Recognized for their tireless efforts, both Sarah and James were awarded MBEs in July.
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“Hospital stays can be incredibly isolating for children who barely leave their beds,” Sarah explains. “There’s little to do beyond watching TV or scrolling on phones, so we knew something had to change.” The charity provides activities like drama, yoga, and music workshops along with comforting spaces in pediatric units for families facing unimaginable challenges.
Reflecting on her own experience, she recalls the stark and dispiriting hospital room she stayed in with Ella-Jayne. “It was very bare, a depressing space that did nothing to ease that difficult time,” Sarah says. “It’s not the hospital’s fault, but it highlights where investments are lacking. We want to make those heartbreaking moments a little more bearable.”
For Sarah, the charity work has been a source of strength and connection for their family. “It kept us going, it kept us together — something that is ours,” she shares. “Now, I rarely get upset because there’s so much joy in what the charity brings. Grief is strange — it ebbs and flows.”
Professionally, Sarah’s acting career took off in 1997 with her breakthrough on ITV’s Peak Practice. She continued to impress audiences in shows like BBC’s Cutting It and Mistresses, and Sky One’s Trollied. Taking on more complex roles, she delivered a chilling performance as a ruthless murderer in ITV thriller Bancroft and appeared in the acclaimed third season of Broadchurch.
Balancing multiple roles alongside her charity commitments can be demanding. This summer, Sarah simultaneously filmed ITV’s police comedy Piglets and Netflix’s Geek Girl while spearheading Inspire This’s rebranding and coordinating its Christmas gala, supported by celebrity friends such as Hugh Bonneville, Dame Imelda Staunton, David Tennant, and Amanda Holden.
Does she ever consider stepping away from acting to focus solely on charity? “No!” she laughs. “Acting is our passion. The charity is tougher and takes more time, but they complement each other perfectly — one is candy floss, the other is real. The charity wouldn’t be where it is without the acting.”
When asked about her proudest work, Sarah pauses before citing Bancroft for its leading role, and W1A, the BBC’s satirical comedy that she found both thrilling and liberating. Another highlight was playing Kevin Costner’s wife in the 2012 American drama Hatfields and McCoys. “It was surreal being from Yeovil and standing next to Kevin Costner,” she recalls. “He was lovely, but I was too intimidated to imagine a friendship then.”
Describing herself as “a proper jobbing actor,” Sarah admits to sometimes wishing for more stability and recognition, especially in an industry lacking opportunities for women over 40. Recently, she’s taken control of her career by developing her own TV adaptations, determined not to wait for opportunities to come but to create them.
Entering her fifties, Sarah notes she’s embraced growing older with confidence, crediting hormone replacement therapy during perimenopause for helping ease the transition. “My fifties have been my best decade,” she says. “You reach a place where you just don’t care as much about others’ opinions. I am who I am.”
Despite her resilience, Sarah worries about the impact of excessive mobile phone use on her 15-year-old daughter Nell, conceived months after Ella-Jayne’s passing. Though initially hoping for a larger family, they accepted Nell’s wish not to have siblings, finding peace in that decision.
Known in her youth for a vibrant social life, Sarah now cherishes peaceful weekends in their Hampshire countryside home and stays connected to close friends from her Cutting It days through lively WhatsApp chats. “You could make a sitcom from our group,” she laughs. “Our conversations are ridiculous and hilarious — they keep me grounded and entertained.”