Miranda Hart
Miranda Hart (born 14 December 1972) is an English actress, comedian, and writer, best known for creating, writing, and starring in the BBC sitcom Miranda (2009–2015), a semi-autobiographical series that drew on her own experiences of clumsiness and social awkwardness to achieve critical and commercial success, running for three series and Christmas specials.[1] Born in Torquay, Devon, she grew up in Petersfield, Hampshire, as the daughter of Royal Navy officer Captain David Hart Dyke, who served in the Falklands War, and is a distant cousin of Diana, Princess of Wales.[1] Educated at Downe House School and later earning a 2:1 degree in politics from Bristol Polytechnic (now the University of the West of England), Hart initially struggled with anxiety and agoraphobia after university before turning to comedy at age 26, performing semi-autobiographical stand-up shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[1] Her breakthrough came in 2008 when the BBC read her script for Miranda, leading to the show's commission; it earned her three Royal Television Society (RTS) Awards for Comedy Performance (2010, 2011) and Best Comedy Script, as well as five BAFTA nominations, including one for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Chummy in Call the Midwife (2012–2015).[2][3] Beyond television, Hart expanded into film with roles in Paul Feig's Spy (2015) and a West End debut as Miss Hannigan in Annie (2017); she also became the first woman to host the Royal Variety Performance in 2017.[4][1] As an author, her debut book Is It Just Me? (2012), a humorous memoir, became a Sunday Times bestseller with over 700,000 copies sold, followed by Peggy and Me (2016) and the 2024 memoir I Haven't Been Entirely Honest with You, in which she disclosed a long-undiagnosed Lyme disease contracted around age 14 during a family stay in Virginia, leading to chronic fatigue, ME/CFS symptoms, and years of health struggles that forced her to live "one day at a time." In 2025, she published the Christmas short story The Christmas Tree That Loved to Dance.[5][6][7] In the same book and subsequent interviews, Hart revealed finding love later in life and marrying at age 51 in 2024 to a man she described as a "handsome divorcee," marking a period of personal renewal amid her health challenges.[6][8]Early life
Family background
Miranda Katherine Hart Dyke was born on 14 December 1972 in Torquay, Devon, England.[9] Her father, Captain David Hart Dyke, served as a Royal Navy officer, commanding HMS Coventry during the Falklands War in 1982, where the ship was sunk, though he survived severe burns.[10][11] Her mother, Diana Margaret Luce, is the daughter of Sir William Henry Tucker Luce, a British colonial administrator and diplomat who served as Governor of Aden from 1956 to 1960.[10][1] Around age 14, during a family stay in Virginia, Hart contracted Lyme disease, which went undiagnosed for decades.[5] Hart has one sibling, a younger sister named Alice Louisa Hart Dyke.[1][12] The family relocated from Devon following her father's naval postings, settling in Petersfield, Hampshire, where Hart spent much of her childhood in an affluent environment shaped by her parents' professional lives and aristocratic heritage.[1][13] On her mother's side, Hart descends from notable naval figures, including Admiral Sir David Luce, First Sea Lord from 1963 to 1966, who was her maternal great-uncle, and earlier ancestors such as Vice Admiral Trevylyan Napier.[14][10] Her paternal lineage traces back to the Hart Dyke baronetcy established in 1677, connecting the family to English gentry and historical estates like Lullingstone Castle in Kent.[10] These familial ties to military service and public duty provided a structured yet adventurous backdrop to her early years.[15]Education and early career training
Hart attended Downe House School, an independent boarding school for girls in Cold Ash, Berkshire, from 1984 to 1991.[16] During her time there, she was a boarder and pursued A-levels in politics and geography, while also engaging in extracurricular activities such as lacrosse, sprinting, piano duets, and minor roles in school plays; she later directed a production of Hay Fever in her sixth form.[16] Following school, Hart studied politics at the University of the West of England in Bristol, graduating with a 2:1 honours degree. After university, she took on various entry-level roles in the charity sector, including positions as an office manager and personal assistant for organizations such as Macmillan Cancer Relief and Comic Relief, before committing fully to a career in acting and comedy.[1] Hart later enrolled in the postgraduate acting course at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) in London, where she honed her skills in improvisation and comedy performance.[17] Upon finishing her training, she transitioned into early professional opportunities, including writing and performing sketch comedy.[17] In the late 1990s, Hart began her initial forays into fringe theater, collaborating with Charity Trimm as part of the double act The Orange Girls and taking sketch shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they received mixed reviews for their energetic but uneven material.[18] These experiences marked her early development in character-based comedy and laid the groundwork for subsequent radio sketches on BBC platforms in the early 2000s.[18]Career
Television work
Hart began her television career with minor guest roles in British sitcoms. She appeared as Suzie, the speed-dating host, in the 2005 Christmas special of The Vicar of Dibley.[19] She then had a recurring role as Barbara, a Polish cleaner, in Not Going Out from 2006 to 2007, starting with a guest appearance as an acupuncturist in the first series. In 2007, she played Diplomatic Officer Chloe Alice Teal in the sci-fi comedy Hyperdrive.[20] Hart's breakthrough came with the BBC sitcom Miranda, which she created, wrote, and starred in from 2009 to 2015. The series, adapted from her BBC Radio 2 comedy Miranda Hart's Joke Shop (2008), followed the awkward adventures of a joke shop owner and ran for three series plus Christmas specials.[21] It received critical acclaim for its physical comedy and self-deprecating humor, earning Hart multiple awards, including Best New TV Comedy, Best TV Comedy Actress, and the People's Choice Award at the 2011 British Comedy Awards.[22] During the run of Miranda, Hart took on a prominent dramatic role as Camilla "Chummy" Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne in the BBC period drama Call the Midwife from 2012 to 2015. Portraying the tall, clumsy midwife, she appeared in the first four series before departing due to scheduling conflicts with other projects.[23] Following Miranda, Hart's television work shifted to guest appearances and voice roles, with guest spots including the Graham Norton Show (series 32, episode 3, 2024) and Michael McIntyre's Big Show (series 8, episode 3, 2025); as of November 2025, she has no major leading series roles but teased a new comedic TV project in October 2024. She made cameo appearances in shows such as A Class (2016) and Traitors (2019), and provided voice work for animated series.[9][24][25][26] In addition to acting, Hart contributed to charitable television events by co-writing sketches for Comic Relief specials in 2009 and 2011, including a notable parody involving JLS in 2011.[27]Film roles
Miranda Hart made her Hollywood debut in the 2015 action comedy Spy, directed by Paul Feig, where she portrayed Nancy B. Artingstall, a bumbling and overly enthusiastic undercover agent who provides comic relief alongside lead Melissa McCarthy's CIA analyst character.[4][28] This role marked Hart's entry into major feature film work, showcasing her physical comedy and self-deprecating humor in a supporting capacity within a high-stakes espionage plot.[29] Hart continued in supporting comedic parts in subsequent films, including a brief uncredited appearance as the Dew Drop Fairy in the 2018 Disney fantasy The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, though much of her footage was ultimately cut from the final release.[30][31] Her character types in these early film roles often echoed the awkward, endearing persona from her television work, emphasizing slapstick and situational humor in ensemble casts.[32] In 2020, Hart took on the role of Miss Bates in the Jane Austen adaptation Emma., directed by Autumn de Wilde, delivering a performance praised for its nuanced blend of chatterbox verbosity and underlying pathos as the impoverished spinster neighbor to the titular protagonist.[33] Critics highlighted how Hart captured the character's oblivious cheerfulness while adding emotional depth, marking an evolution toward more layered comedic portrayals beyond pure farce.[34][35] By 2023, Hart appeared in the animated family comedy The Canterville Ghost, voicing Algernean Van Finchley, a flamboyant ghost catcher who injects humor into the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's story through eccentric antics and bumbling investigations.[36] This minor role in voice work for a family-oriented animation continued her trend of supporting comedic contributions, with no major lead film roles announced as of 2025.[37]Radio and live performances
Hart's entry into radio comedy came with the BBC Radio 2 sitcom Miranda Hart's Joke Shop, which premiered with a pilot episode on 26 May 2007 and was followed by a six-episode series broadcast from September to October 2008.[21] Written by Hart in collaboration with James Cary and Tony Roche, the show starred Hart as the tall, posh, and socially awkward Miranda, who runs a joke shop alongside her best friend Stevie, portrayed by Morwenna Banks.[38] The series highlighted Hart's improvisational skills and self-deprecating humor, drawing from her own experiences of feeling out of place, and it directly influenced the development of her BBC One television sitcom Miranda, which adapted the core premise and characters for the screen.[39] Building on her radio success, Hart honed her stand-up comedy through early performances, including one-woman shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the early 2000s, such as Miranda Hart-Throbs! and Miranda Hart: It's All About Me.[40] These sketches emphasized her physical presence and comedic timing, often incorporating awkward social scenarios. Following the acclaim of her TV series, she launched her debut arena tour, My, What I Call, Live Show, in early 2014, performing to sold-out crowds across the UK and Ireland, with a highlight recording at London's O2 Arena.[18] The tour extended her television persona into live settings, blending scripted routines with spontaneous elements. Hart's live performances showcase her signature physical comedy, leveraging her 6-foot-1 stature for slapstick gags like exaggerated trips, wardrobe malfunctions, and clumsy flirtations, creating a sense of joyful chaos that resonates with audiences.[41] Audience participation is central to her shows, as seen in My, What I Call, Live Show, where she led 16,000 spectators in group dances to songs like "Saturday Night" and impromptu karaoke of "I Will Survive," while ad-libbing witty exchanges with front-row attendees, such as ongoing banter with a young fan.[41] This interactive style fosters an inclusive "cocoon o' fun," turning large venues into communal parties. She further demonstrated this approach as host and performer at the 2017 Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium, where her energetic opening number and improvised segments with guests, including encouraging Prince William to "gallop" onstage, marked her as the first solo female host in over 60 years.[42][43] Following her arena tour, Hart continued live engagements with appearances at the London Palladium in March 2015 and October 2016, the latter promoting her memoir Peggy and Me through a mix of storytelling and comedy sketches.[44] In late 2016, she expanded internationally with a work-in-progress tour in Australia, performing intimate shows in Sydney and Melbourne that previewed new material centered on personal anecdotes and physical humor.[45] In recent years, Hart has maintained a presence on BBC radio through guest spots rather than full series, including an appearance on BBC Radio 3's Private Passions on 5 January 2025, where she discussed how music influenced her comedy and life challenges, and on BBC Radio 4's Inheritance Tracks in November 2025, sharing songs that sustained her during difficult periods.[46][47] These broadcasts underscore her ongoing connection to audio formats, blending reflective insights with her characteristic wit.Writing and publications
Miranda Hart's writing career began with her debut book, Is It Just Me?, published in 2012 by Hodder & Stoughton, a collection of humorous essays exploring themes of self-doubt, singledom, and everyday awkwardness that mirrored her comedic persona.[48] The book became a Sunday Times number one bestseller and won the Non-Fiction Book of the Year award at the 2012 Specsavers National Book Awards, with over 700,000 copies sold worldwide.[49][48] In 2016, Hart released Peggy and Me, an illustrated memoir published by Hodder & Stoughton, chronicling her transformation from a self-proclaimed dog skeptic to a devoted owner of her Shih Tzu Bichon Frise cross, Peggy, while delving into themes of companionship, healing, and joy amid personal challenges. The book, narrated with Hart's signature wit and warmth, became a bestseller and contributed to her overall book sales exceeding one million copies across her works. Hart's most recent publication, I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You, a memoir issued on October 10, 2024, by Michael Joseph (an imprint of Penguin), candidly addresses her decade-long struggles with chronic illness, including a Lyme disease diagnosis, alongside reflections on love, resilience, and self-acceptance. It achieved instant Sunday Times bestseller status upon release and was nominated for Non-Fiction: Narrative Book of the Year at the 2025 British Book Awards.[5] Beyond her books, Hart contributed columns and essays to magazines in the 2010s, including guest pieces for publications like Red, where she shared humorous insights into modern life and womanhood.[50] Early in her career, she wrote unproduced screenplays and pilots, such as the unaired BBC pilot Joke Shop and a dialogue-free sketch comedy project featuring collaborators like Greg Davies, which honed her scripting skills before her breakthrough in television.[51][52] Hart's writing evolved from scripting her self-titled BBC sitcom Miranda (2009–2015), where she authored all episodes blending physical comedy with personal anecdotes, to more introspective nonfiction prose in her memoirs, allowing her to extend her comedic voice into vulnerable explorations of identity and adversity.Other contributions
Hart has been actively involved in charitable efforts, particularly with Comic Relief's Red Nose Day events. In 2009, she appeared in a spoof sketch of Mamma Mia! alongside Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, and others, contributing to the fundraising telethon. She hosted sketches in 2011, including "JLS Train at Miranda's Dance Studio," where she humorously attempted to teach the boy band dance moves as part of her character's fitness studio antics.[53] For Red Nose Day 2013, Hart undertook "Miranda's Mad March," a week-long challenge traveling across the UK to complete unusual tasks, such as a mock wedding and facing personal fears, which tied into her sitcom Miranda and helped raise significant funds for the charity.[54] These appearances leveraged her comedic style to boost donations, with Comic Relief reporting over £100 million raised across the 2013 event alone.[55] In stage acting, Hart's early career included fringe theatre work before her television breakthrough, though details on specific productions remain limited. Her major stage debut came in 2017 with the role of Miss Hannigan in a West End revival of the musical Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre, marking her first prominent theatre appearance and earning praise for her comedic timing in the boisterous orphanage matron character.[56] Post-fame, her stage commitments have been constrained by television and writing obligations, resulting in few additional productions. Hart serves as a patron for several charities focused on youth and social issues, including Resurgo Trust's Spear programme, which provides employment training for disadvantaged young people aged 16-24; she joined in 2012, emphasizing its role in empowering participants to overcome barriers.[57] She has also supported organizations like the Prince's Trust, Epilepsy Action, and Small Steps Project through endorsements and fundraising, often highlighting initiatives for children's welfare and education.[58] While she has done occasional voice work in advertisements, such as a 2002 Maltesers campaign, her contributions in this area are sporadic.[59] From 2023 to 2025, Hart has made guest appearances on podcasts, discussing her career, personal growth, and health experiences, including episodes of How to Fail with Elizabeth Day in October 2024 and Young Again on BBC Radio 4 in October 2024.[60][61] She participated in minor stage readings and events, such as literary discussions tied to her memoir, but has not pursued major new theatre productions during this period.[62]Personal life
Relationships
Prior to her marriage, Miranda Hart was long-term single, a status she often explored humorously in her BBC sitcom Miranda (2009–2015), where her character navigated awkward dating scenarios and romantic mishaps, and in her 2012 memoir Is It Just Me?, which candidly addressed the challenges and comedic aspects of singledom in her forties. Hart met chartered building surveyor Richard Fairs in 2020, when he was hired to address a mould issue in her West London home during lockdown; she has described falling in love with him "there and then" after their first date, which involved hours of conversation over pizza.[63] The couple became engaged in January 2024 during a visit to Kew Gardens, and they married on 6 July 2024 in a private ceremony at the 1,000-year-old St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church in Hambledon, Hampshire, attended by close family and friends.[64][65] Hart and Fairs, who is 60 and a stepfather to two children from a previous marriage, now reside in Hammersmith, West London, along with Hart's bichon frisé dog, Peggy.[66][67] As of 2025, the couple has no children.[68] In public statements, Hart has emphasized how her Christian faith shaped her approach to love and relationships, viewing her marriage as an unexpected blessing and a source of hope, particularly for single women facing similar challenges; she has referenced biblical passages like Ephesians 3:16 to underscore themes of inner strength and divine timing in personal choices.[68][69]Health challenges
Miranda Hart was likely infected with Lyme disease at the age of 14 in the late 1980s while her family lived briefly in Virginia, a hotspot for the tick-borne illness, though she was not diagnosed until 2020, when symptoms reactivated during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] Initially misdiagnosed with conditions such as agoraphobia, anxiety, and various infections like bronchitis and labyrinthitis, Hart's undiagnosed Lyme disease eventually progressed to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), exacerbating her immune system issues over decades.[8][70] The primary symptoms Hart experienced included profound fatigue, chronic pain, joint issues, and severe mobility limitations, at times leaving her bedbound and unable to perform basic tasks like walking or holding a cup of tea.[8][6] Hart left her role as Chummy in Call the Midwife after the fourth season in 2015 due to scheduling conflicts. While her health challenges, including undiagnosed Lyme disease, affected her career more broadly, she has not returned to the series since.[23] Hart publicly disclosed her diagnoses in her 2024 memoir I Haven't Been Entirely Honest With You, where she detailed the emotional and physical toll, and further discussed it on BBC's The One Show in October 2024, emphasizing the years of medical dismissal she faced.[8][71] Through these platforms, she has advocated for greater awareness of Lyme disease and ME/CFS, highlighting diagnostic delays and the need for better research and support.[72] To manage her conditions, Hart has adopted holistic strategies, including energy pacing, self-compassion practices drawn from self-help resources, and time in nature, alongside faith-based coping rooted in her Christian beliefs, such as spiritual surrender and reframing anxiety through prayerful reflection.[70][73] As of late 2025, she reports no full recovery, instead focusing on living "one day at a time" while selectively choosing projects that accommodate her energy levels. In August 2025, Hart addressed rumors about participating in Strictly Come Dancing, stating that her health requires her to live "one day at a time" and that such a physically demanding show would be challenging.[74] Her health struggles led to pausing live tours after her 2016-2017 run, shifting toward less physically demanding work like writing and limited television appearances.[75]Filmography
Television
Hart began her television career with guest appearances and supporting roles in British comedy series. Her early credits include a role as an ensemble performer in three episodes of the sketch show Smack the Pony in 2001.[25] In 2004, Hart appeared in the Absolutely Fabulous special "White Box" as Yoko.[25] She also featured in the 2005 New Year special of The Vicar of Dibley as Suzie, the sister of the vicar's love interest.[25] Additionally, she played Beth in series 2 of Nighty Night.[25] Hart's recurring television roles began in 2006. She appeared as the acupuncturist in one episode of Not Going Out series 1 and later as the recurring character Barbara across series 2–3 (2007–2009), totaling 12 episodes.[25] That same year, she played Diplomatic Officer Teal in all 6 episodes of the sci-fi sitcom Hyperdrive series 1.[25] In 2007, she guest-starred as the casting agent in an episode of Roman's Empire.[25] From 2009 to 2015, Hart created, co-wrote, and starred as the titular character Miranda in the BBC sitcom Miranda, appearing in the 2009 pilot, 18 episodes across three series (2009–2013), and two Christmas specials (2014–2015), for a total of approximately 20 episodes plus specials. The series marked her breakthrough as a lead performer and writer. In 2009, she also played Tall Karen in the drama Monday Monday.[25] Hart portrayed Camilla "Chummy" Noakes (later Chummy Browne) in the BBC period drama Call the Midwife from 2012 to 2015, appearing in 22 episodes across seasons 1–4. In 2014, she was a guest on the panel show Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled. As an executive producer, Hart contributed to the American adaptation Call Me Kat from 2021 to 2023, though she did not appear on screen. Recent guest appearances include The Graham Norton Show in 2024 and Michael McIntyre's Big Show in 2025.[25]Film
Miranda Hart has appeared in a number of feature films, typically in supporting roles that highlight her comedic timing, with additional voice work in animated projects. She has no directing credits in film.| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Tales of the Riverbank | Miss Much (voice) | Chris Taylor |
| 2010 | The Infidel | Mrs. Keyes | Josh Appignanesi |
| 2013 | I Give It a Year | Naomi | Dan Mazer |
| 2014 | Paddington | Mrs. Bird | Paul King |
| 2015 | Spy | Nancy B. Artingstall | Paul Feig |
| 2017 | Paddington 2 | Mrs. Bird | Paul King |
| 2017 | The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature | Precious (voice) | Cal Brunker |
| 2018 | The Nutcracker and the Four Realms | Dew Drop Fairy | Lasse Hallström, Joe Johnston |
| 2020 | Emma. | Miss Bates | Autumn de Wilde |
| 2023 | The Canterville Ghost | The Ghost Catcher (voice) | Kim Burdon |
Awards and nominations
Hart has received numerous accolades for her work in television, including three Royal Television Society Awards, four British Comedy Awards, and five BAFTA Television Award nominations.[2][76] The following is a partial list of awards and nominations received by Hart for her individual performance and writing:| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | British Comedy Awards | Best Female Comedy Newcomer | — | Nominated |
| 2010 | BAFTA Television Awards | Female Performance in a Comedy Programme | Miranda | Nominated |
| 2010 | Royal Television Society Programme Awards | Comedy - Performance | Miranda | Won |
| 2010 | British Comedy Awards | Best TV Comedy Actress | Miranda | Won |
| 2010 | British Comedy Awards | People's Choice Award | Miranda | Won |
| 2010 | Monte-Carlo TV Festival | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (Golden Nymph) | Miranda | Nominated |
| 2011 | BAFTA Television Awards | Female Performance in a Comedy Programme | Miranda | Nominated |
| 2011 | Royal Television Society Programme Awards | Comedy - Performance | Miranda | Won |
| 2011 | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Best Comedy and/or Entertainment | Miranda | Won |
| 2011 | British Comedy Awards | Best TV Comedy Actress | Miranda | Won |
| 2011 | British Comedy Awards | People's Choice Award | Miranda | Won |
| 2013 | BAFTA Television Awards | Female Performance in a Comedy Programme | Miranda | Nominated |
| 2013 | BAFTA Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Call the Midwife | Nominated |
| 2013 | National Television Awards | Most Popular Drama Performance – Female | Call the Midwife | Won |
| 2016 | BAFTA Television Awards | Female Performance in a Comedy Programme | Miranda | Nominated |