Sarah Smith (born 3 January 1971), known professionally as Sarah Alexander, is an English actress. She has appeared in British series including Armstrong and Miller, Smack the Pony, Coupling, The Worst Week of My Life, Green Wing, Marley's Ghosts and Jonathan Creek.

Early life Alexander was born on 3 January 1971 in Hammersmith, London. Her father, Frank Smith, was a television producer and director on factual shows such as Panorama; he died when she was still at school. She attended Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith. At the age of 19, she left home after her A-levels and travelled to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to get a start in acting. Her parents wanted her to continue to university, but she turned down a place at the University of Manchester to take her first professional acting job.

Career In 1992, Alexander appeared in The Bill, as a witness to an attempted robbery. The following year she played Muriel in an episode of the BBC comedy-drama Lovejoy. In 1994, she played Nicky, Damien's risk-addicted weather reporter girlfriend in Drop the Dead Donkey. In 1996, she played Beatrice in the British première of Octavio Paz's only play, Rappaccini's Daughter, at the Gate Theatre Studio. She has appeared in other theatre productions, including The Vagina Monologues, Hand in Hand, The Secretary Bird, Northanger Abbey, and as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth.The Worst Christmas Of My Life – a Christmas to remember for all the wrong reasons BBC Press Office. 6 December 2006 In the mid-1990s, she met Ben Miller when they filmed an advertisement for disposable cameras together, and through him she met Alexander Armstrong.Mutual Friends Press Pack BBC Press Office. 13 August 2008 Miller and Armstrong became friends and collaborators, and Alexander went on to appear on their Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller (1997–2001), usually in the regular "Nude Practice" segment.

Alexander moved into comedy acting, in which she has since specialised. Her other sketch show work included Smith and Jones (1997–1998) and Smack the Pony (1999–2003), also writing for the latter. In the science-fiction comedy series Red Dwarf, she played the Queen of Camelot in "Stoke Me a Clipper". She appeared in the Midsomer Murders episode "The Garden of Death", as Fliss Inkpen-Thomas. In 2000, she appeared in the comedy The Strangerers, as well as becoming co-host of the final series of the current-affairs satire The 11 O'Clock Show, alongside Jon Holmes. She made her debut as Susan Walker in the BBC sitcom Coupling, which ran for four series from 2000 to 2004. Other British TV roles included Mel in The Worst Week of My Life and Angela Hunter in the hospital comedy Green Wing.

Alexander appeared as Alice Fletcher in NBC's short-lived remake of the British comedy series Teachers, before roles in the films I Could Never Be Your Woman and Stardust (both released in 2007). Her previous film credits include Seaview Knights (1994) and Going Off Big Time (2000). She also starred in the 2008 BBC dramedy Mutual Friends, and played Layla Barton in the BBC drama All The Small Things, which debuted in 2009.

Since 2011, she has played Mimi in the BBC Radio 4 comedy series The Gobetweenies. The first series was broadcast in 2011 and two more followed in 2012 and 2013. She starred in the 2012 BBC series Me and Mrs Jones. Since 2013, she has starred in the BBC One series Jonathan Creek as Polly Creek, wife of main character Jonathan, making her first appearance in the episode titled "The Clue of the Savant's Thumb" in 2013. She starred in the Dave comedy Undercover as DS Zoe Keller. In 2015–2016 she starred in the comedy series Marley's Ghosts on Gold. In 2019, she appeared as Undine Thwaite in the Epix series Pennyworth.

Other work Alexander has contributed to the BBC charity telethon Comic Relief, appearing in 2001 as a judge based on Nicki Chapman in a parody of Popstars, in 2003 as Liza Goddard in a spoof of Blankety Blank, and, in 2005, in a celebrity version of University Challenge. Since 2021, she has contributed to Mark Steel's podcast "What the F*** Is Going On?", appearing in sketches as "woman overheard in cafe", "tory MP Nadine Boris", and "phone-in show caller".

Personal life In 2001, aged 30, Alexander began a relationship with 72-year-old actor Gerald Harper. The following year, she left him for actor Peter Serafinowicz, whom she later married. They lived in west London and have two children together. Alexander and Serafinowicz separated in 2025 after 23 years of marriage.

Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes 1993 Pretty Princess Ursula Original title: Piccolo Grande Amore 1994 Seaview Knights Jackie 1999 The New Adventures of Pinocchio Felinet Direct-to-Video2000 Summer in the Suburbs Maisie TV film Going Off Big Time Stacey Bannerman 2001 Bridget Jones's Diary Daniel Cleaver's Lover Uncredited 2004 Perfect Strangers Alix Mason TV film 2005 Harry Kay Short film2007 I Could Never Be Your Woman Jeannie Stardust Empusa 2011 Faculty Ellie Anderson TV film 2015 We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story Gilda Perry 2020 Sassy Justice Julie Andrews Video short 2022 The Silent Canary Jane Short film

Television Year Film Role Notes1992 The Bill Lesley Anderson Episode: "Exit" Kappatoo Melanie Series regular, 7 episodes Natural Lies Anne-Marie 1 episode Covington Cross Third Girl Episode: "The Hero"1993 Lovejoy Muriel Episode: "Second Fiddle" You, Me and It Emma 1 episode Chris Cross Sam Episode: "Turf Wars"1994 Anna Lee Mary Vincent Episode: "The Cook's Tale" The Bill Madeline Dexter Episode: "Wild Justice" Drop the Dead Donkey Nicky Episode: "Damien and the Weather Girl" 1997 Red Dwarf Queen Episode: "Stoke Me a Clipper" 1997–1998 Alas Smith and Jones Various roles Recurring role, 12 episodes 1998 Noel's House Party Girl at the Window Recurring role, 4 episodes1999 Tilly Trotter Lady Agnes Myton Miniseries, 2 episodes People Like Us Madeline Goddard Episode: "The Estate Agent" 1999–2003 Smack the Pony Various roles Series regular, 23 episodes2000 The Strangerers Rina Series regular, 9 episodes Midsomer Murders Fliss Inkpen-Thomas Episode: "Garden of Death" 2000–2004 Coupling Susan Walker Series regular, 28 episodes2001 Armstrong and Miller Various roles Recurring role, 7 episodes Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible Beatrice Crown Episode: "Voodoo Feet of Death" 2002 Look Around You Scientist 2 episodes 2003 Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do 'Lovely' Liza Goddard TV special 2004–2006 Green Wing Dr. Angela Hunter Series regular, 13 episodes 2004–2007 The Worst Week of My Life Mel Cook Series regular, 17 episodes 2005 Look Around You Ros Lamb Episode: "Sport" 2006 Teachers Alice Fletcher Series regular, 6 episodes 2007 The Peter Serafinowicz Show Various roles 2 episodes 2008 Mutual Friends Liz Series regular, 6 episodes 2009 All the Small Things Layla Series regular, 6 episodes 2010 Agatha Christie's Marple Lydia Harsnet Episode: "The Pale Horse"2011 The Jury Theresa Vestry Series regular, 5 episodes The Gobetweenies Mimi Recurring role, 4 episodes 2012 Me and Mrs Jones Gemma Jones Series regular, 6 episodes 2013–2016 Jonathan Creek Polly Creek Recurring role, 5 episodes 2015 Undercover Zoe Series regular, 6 episodes 2015–2016 Marley's Ghosts Marley Wise Series regular, 9 episodes 2016 Drunk History Elizabeth I Episode: "Battle of Trafalgar/The Virgin Queen" 2019 Pennyworth Undine Thwaite Series regular, 6 episodes2024 Father Brown Harriet Sykes Episode: "The Last Supper"2025 Art Detectives Rosa Conaghan Recurring role, 4 episodes2026 The Marlow Murder Club Sophia 2 episodes2026The ForsytesAlexandra FalconerSeries regular, 5 episodes (series 2)

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