Sarah Millican: Late Bloomer

South Shields-born Sarah Millican followed an unusual path to fame. Left unexpectedly by her husband in 2004, she moved back home with her parents and started taking writing workshops as an outlet for processing her emotions.

Her first ever stand-up gig was in a Newcastle pub called The Dog & Parrot, which had a fringe theatre upstairs. Although she had no idea what she was doing, Millican drew on the pain of her failed marriage and connected with the audience… from then on, she was hooked on live comedy.