ActressEnglishTelevisionModel

Sacha Parkinson

English actress and model Sacha Parkinson is known for her role in Coronation Street and for advocating endometriosis awareness.

1. Overview

Sacha Louise Parkinson (born 11 March 1992) is an English actress and model. She is widely recognized for her significant role as Sian Powers in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a performance that garnered considerable attention for her character's groundbreaking storyline. Beyond her acting career, Parkinson has actively engaged in personal advocacy, publicly sharing her experiences with endometriosis to raise awareness for the condition.

2. Early life and background

2.1. Childhood and education

Sacha Parkinson was born on 11 March 1992. During her upbringing, she received her education at Walkden High School.

3. Career

Sacha Parkinson's career began with early television appearances, leading to prominent roles in popular soap operas and dramas, as well as several feature films, showcasing her versatility as an actress.

3.1. Early career and television appearances

Parkinson's acting career commenced with an early role in Always and Everyone. This was followed by her appearance in the 2003 Channel 4 adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's The Illustrated Mum, where she played the character Tasha. She subsequently made guest appearances in several British television series, including The Royal, where she played Polly Crunshank in an episode titled "Everybody Needs Somebody" in 2005. She also appeared in The Street and The Bill, playing Rose Sterling in the episode "Lies That Kill" in 2007.

In 2007, Parkinson joined CBBC's Grange Hill, portraying the schoolgirl Anna Duncan for six episodes. Between 2007 and 2008, she secured minor guest roles in other well-known dramas such as Waterloo Road, appearing as Lisa in episode 2.9, and Doctors, playing Cassie Sawyer in the episode "Innocence Lost". She also appeared in Survivors as Kate in episode 1.3, and Shameless as Tracey Kelvin in episode 5.14. Additionally, Parkinson featured in the acclaimed drama Clay, where she played Maria.

3.2. Coronation Street

On 15 December 2008, it was officially announced that Parkinson would join the cast of the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. She was cast in the role of Sian Powers, making her first on-screen appearance on 26 January 2009. Her character was introduced as a friend of the established character Sophie Webster, played by actress Brooke Vincent. The storyline involving Sian and Sophie developed into the soap's first lesbian couple in the spring of 2010, which quickly gained significant popularity among viewers. Due to the positive reception of the storyline, Coronation Street extended Parkinson's contract until 2011.

Parkinson ultimately made the decision to depart from the soap opera to pursue other projects and to avoid overstaying her welcome on the show. She filmed her final scenes on 18 November 2011, and these scenes were broadcast in an episode on 30 December 2011. Prior to her main role as Sian Powers, Parkinson had an uncredited appearance as Celine in a single episode of Coronation Street (Episode #5329) in 2002.

3.3. Film roles

Parkinson has appeared in a number of feature films and television films throughout her career. In 2009, she was cast as Natasha in the Red Union Films production Awaydays. The same year, she played Leanne in A Boy Called Dad, a Made Up North Productions film that was released in March 2010. In 2013, she featured in the film Fright Night 2: New Blood, where she played the character Amy Peterson. She later took on the role of Luisa in the 2017 film Apostasy. Her more recent film work includes The Pebble and the Boy, released in 2021, in which she played Nicki.

3.4. Television roles

Following her tenure on Coronation Street, Parkinson continued to secure prominent roles in various television dramas. On 18 August 2012, she appeared as Laura Bellamy in "Kansas", an episode of series 27 of the BBC medical drama Casualty. In March 2013, she starred as Kate Harper in The Crash, a two-hour drama on BBC Three (previously titled One Day Like This). This production featured co-stars such as Skins Lily Loveless, Georgia Henshaw, and Waterloo Roads Darcy Isa, with some filming taking place at Kilsyth Academy in Kilsyth.

In 2013, Parkinson joined the cast of Channel 4's four-part drama The Mill, portraying Miriam Catterall across both Series 1 and Series 2 as a main cast member through 2014. In October 2013, she appeared as Suzy in an episode of Truckers and also played Kimberley Brooks in an episode of By Any Means. That same year, she also featured as Janine in the television film Homeboys. In 2014, she played Katie McKee in the BBC One three-part drama The Driver, a main role spanning three episodes. She also appeared in the E4 series My Mad Fat Diary as Stacey Stringfellow, the archetypal "mean girl," in four episodes of Series 2.

From 2015 to 2016, Parkinson played Connie Hawkins as a main role in Series 3 and 4 of Mr Selfridge. In February 2016, it was confirmed that Parkinson was joining the cast of the ITV drama Safe House for its second series, where she played Dani in 2017. More recently, she played Laura in Season 9 of Cold Feet in 2020. In 2023, she appeared as Melissa in three episodes of Platform 7.

4. Filmography

YearTitleTypeRoleNotes
2002Coronation StreetTVCeline (uncredited)1 Episode, Episode #5329
2003The Illustrated MumTVTashaTV film
2005The RoyalTVPolly Crunshank1 Episode, "Everybody Needs Somebody"
2007Grange HillTVAnna Duncan6 Episodes
2007Waterloo RoadTVLisa1 Episode, Episode #2.9
2007The BillTVRose Sterling1 Episode, "Lies That Kill"
2007DoctorsTVCassie Sawyer1 Episode, "Innocence Lost"
2008ClayTVMariaTV film
2008ShamelessTVTracey Kelvin1 Episode, Episode #5.14
2008SurvivorsTVKate1 Episode, Episode #1.3
2009AwaydaysFilmNatashaFilm
2009A Boy Called DadFilmLeanneFilm
2009-2011Coronation StreetTVSian PowersSeries regular, 204 episodes
2012CasualtyTVLaura Bellamy1 Episode, "Kansas"
2013The CrashTVKate HarperTV film
2013-2014The MillTVMiriamSeries 1; Series 2, Main Cast
2013By Any MeansTVKimberley Brooks1 Episode, Episode #1.2
2013Fright Night 2: New BloodFilmAmy PetersonFilm
2013TruckersTVSuzy1 Episode, Episode #1.1
2013HomeboysTVJanineTV film
2014My Mad Fat DiaryTVStacey StringfellowSeries 2, 4 Episodes
2014The DriverTVKatie McKeeMain role, 3 Episodes
2015-2016Mr SelfridgeTVConnie HawkinsMain role (Series 3-4)
2017Safe HouseTVDaniSeries 2
2017ApostasyFilmLuisaFilm
2020Cold FeetTVLauraSeason 9
2021The Pebble and the BoyFilmNickiFilm
2023Platform 7TVMelissa3 Episodes

5. Personal life

5.1. Health and personal advocacy

On 22 February 2018, Sacha Parkinson publicly revealed that she has endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This condition led to Parkinson undergoing an operation in April 2017, where endometrial cysts were removed from her ovaries along with other endometriosis tissue from surrounding areas. She has since used her platform to raise awareness about endometriosis, sharing her personal journey and advocating for greater understanding and support for those affected by the condition.

6. Recognition

6.1. Notable rankings

In 2012, Sacha Parkinson received notable recognition when she was placed 63rd on the AfterEllen Hot 100 List, a ranking that highlights influential and popular lesbian and bisexual women in media.