Sarah-Jane Abigail Lancashire[1] was born on 10 October 1964 in Oldham, Lancashire.[2] Her father, Geoffrey Lancashire (1933–2004), was a television scriptwriter noted for his work on the soap opera Coronation Street and situation comedies such as The Cuckoo Waltz.[3][4] Her mother, Hilda, worked as Geoffrey's personal assistant.[3] She has three brothers, one her elder, one younger and a twin.[5] Lancashire was educated at Oldham Hulme Grammar School between 1976–81.[6] At the age of 17, she started to suffer clinical depression.[7]