Sarah Doon Mackichan (; born 7 August 1962) is a British actress, comedian and writer. She co-wrote and co-starred in the double-Emmy-award-winning sketch comedy series Smack the Pony (1999–2003, 2017). Mackichan frequently collaborates with Chris Morris, Armando Iannucci and Steve Coogan, having played multiple characters in the comedy series The Day Today (1994) and Brass Eye (2001). She played the role of Cathy Whyte in the BBC One sitcom Two Doors Down (2013, 2016–2023, 2025).
Mackichan was nominated for Best Female Comedy Performance at the 2014 British Academy Television Awards for her performance in the ITV2 sitcom Plebs (2013–2018). She was nominated for Best Female Television Comic at the 2014 National Comedy Awards for her performance in the sitcom Toast of London (2013–2015). She won critical praise for her performance alongside John Malkovich in the theatre show Bitter Wheat (2019).
Early life and education Mackichan was born on 7 August 1962 in London and at the age of 1 moved with her family to the Scottish town of Paisley. She studied drama at Manchester University.
Career Mackichan had her television debut in comedy series Five Alive, shown by Channel 4 between 1987 and 1988, along with Brian Conley (also making his television debut), Peter Piper, Joanna Brookes and Andrew Secombe. In series 2, shown in 1988, Andrew Secombe was replaced by Phil Nice.
Mackichan, one of the writers and stars of the Channel 4 comedy series Smack the Pony, has appeared in a number of Chris Morris radio and television comedy series such as On the Hour, The Day Today and Brass Eye. Mackichan's own BBC Radio show, Doon Your Way, was broadcast in 1996. She also appeared in the sitcoms Beast and Bedtime, and was a regular performer in Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge and The Mary Whitehouse Experience. She appeared in several of The Comic Strip Presents... films in the early 1990s, and appeared in the 1995 comedy The Glam Metal Detectives. In 2009, she appeared as Jane Thomason, the news producer for the BBC in Taking the Flak. She portrayed Cherie Blair in the Channel 4 satirical drama A Very Social Secretary, and appeared in the Channel 4 sitcom Nathan Barley. She portrayed a BBC news presenter, Louise Marlowe, in series 4 of The Sarah Jane Adventures in 2010.
In film, Mackichan played Victoria Lender in 1997's The Borrowers and teamed up with her former Smack the Pony co-stars for the 2004 film Gladiatress. Also in 1998 she appeared in the BBC TV mini-series of Dickens' novel Our Mutual Friend as Sophronia Lammle.
On stage, she appeared with Matt Di Angelo and David Haig in the Joe Orton black farce Loot. In July 2011, Mackichan performed alongside Julian Barratt in Nikolai Gogol's comedy The Government Inspector at the Young Vic Theatre, London. Later in 2011, she played the part of Frances in April de Angelis' play Jumpy at the Royal Court Theatre. Since 2013, Mackichan has starred in Toast of London as Steven Toast's (Matt Berry) quirky agent Jane Plough.
She has narrated several TV series including The Honey Trap and Bank of Mum and Dad. She has also voiced characters in several animated series including Bob and Margaret, Stressed Eric, Don't Eat the Neighbours and Bromwell High.
She fronted a TV ad campaign for Hallmark in the UK, and appeared alongside Darren Boyd as one half of a married couple for a series of Direct Line insurance TV ads in 2012.
She was a contestant in the 2003 BBC charity singing contest Comic Relief does Fame Academy, in which she came fourth.
She has appeared twice on the BBC panel show QI, in series C, episode 2, ("Cummingtonite", 2005) and series E episode 11, ("Endings", 2007).
From 2013 until 2018, Mackichan played Flavia, a recurring character, in the ITV comedy Plebs, for which she was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance in 2014. She played Cathy in the BBC comedy Two Doors Down from 2013 until 2022, when she decided to quit the show to concentrate on other acting roles. In June 2023 it was announced she would be returning to this role in the forthcoming series.
In 2017 she played Feste in the Royal National Theatre's production of Twelfth Night and television film Death on the Tyne in 2018. Mackichan appeared as the Archangel Michael in the Amazon Prime/BBC mini-series Good Omens and as Sarah in Channel 4 comedy-drama Pure in 2019.
In 2019 she appeared as Sondra in David Mamet's Bitter Wheat at the Garrick Theatre. Writing in The Guardian, Michael Billington praised her as having given the show's best performance.
Mackichan was cast as the Archangel Michael in seasons 2 and 3 of the series Good Omens.
In 2024, Mackichan won the Bafta Award for Best Actress Television for her work in Two Doors Down.
Personal life In 1997, Mackichan married the actor Anthony Barclay. In 1998, she swam the English Channel as part of a six-person relay team.
Mackichan and Barclay were divorced in 2005, after having three children together. She then lived with her children in Clapham, South London. In 2016, she was living in Hastings, East Sussex.
In March 2016, Mackichan was part of a team of well-known people who attempted to sail around a section of Britain in just five days, as part of the BT Sport Relief Challenge: Hell on High Seas.
Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 The Borrowers Victoria Lender 1999 With or Without You Deirdre 2000 Wild About Harry Tara Adair 2003 Indian Dream Penny TV film2004 Gladiatress Dwyfuc Churchill: The Hollywood Years Radio Host Deleted scenes 2005 A Very Social Secretary Cherie Blair TV film 2006 The Good Housekeeping Guide Lydia TV film 2011 Anuvahood Patricia2012 Acts of Godfrey Jacqui Never Had You Miss Bewson Short2013 Homeboys Sue TV film Two Doors Down Cathy TV film, pilot to TV series 2014 Breaking the Bank Caroline 2015 Draw on Sweet Night Lady Elizabeth Kytson 2016 Scarlet Female Shopper Short 2017 National Theatre Live: Twelfth Night Feste2018 Death on the Tyne Emily TV film Winterlong Barbara Happy New Year, Colin Burstead Sandy 2022 The Sea Beast Queen Voice role
Television Year Title Role Notes 1986 Five Alive Various roles 15 episodes 1986, 1989 Hale and Pace Various roles / Have a Nice Time Presenter 2 episodes1990 Harry Enfield's Television Programme Dont's Daughter 2 episodes Birds of a Feather Nurse Episode: "Parting" Up Yer News Various roles1991 The Mary Whitehouse Experience Various roles Episode: "Series 1, Episode 1" London's Burning Female Journalist Episode: "Series 4, Episode 10" 1992 Sean's Show Scriptwriter Episode: "Blind Date" 1992–1993 The Comic Strip Presents... Various roles 5 episodes1994 The Day Today Various roles / Collaterlie Sisters Series regular, 7 episodesKnowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge Shona McGough Episode: "Show 1" Wanda Harvey Episode: "Show 6"1995 The Glam Metal Detectives Various roles Series regular, 5 episodes Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge Liz Heron Episode: "Knowing Me Knowing Yule with Alan Partridge" Agony Again Debra 7 episodes1997 I'm Alan Partridge Jenny Episode: "Watership Alan" Brass Eye Various roles 4 episodes1998 Our Mutual Friend Sophronia Lammle Mini-series, 4 episodes Bob and Margaret Various roles / Moira 6 episodes, voice role 1998–2000 Stressed Eric Maria Gonzalez / Alison Scabie Series regular, voice role, 13 episodes 1999–2003, 2017 Smack the Pony Various roles Series regular, 24 episodes2000 The Strangerers Galadriel 2 episodes: "Space Cadets" and "Angels" The Canterbury Tales Alison Episode: "The Journey Back", voice role 2000–2001 Beast Kirsten Series regular, 12 episodes2001 Brass Eye Swanchita Haze Episode: "Paedophilia" Don't Eat the Neighbours Lucy Bob and Margaret Various roles Episode: "A Very Fishy Christmas", voice role2002 Bedtime Faith Series 2 regular, 6 episodes Wire in the Blood Amanda Vane 2 episodes: "Shadows Rising, Parts 1 & 2"2005 Nathan Barley Her Preposterous Voice Mini-series, 1 episode Twisted Tales Sandra Barnes Episode: "Cursed House" The Comic Strip Presents... Diana Episode: "Sex Actually" Bromwell High Carol Jackson / Various roles Series regular, voice role, 13 episodes 2008 Modern Toss Various roles Series regular, voice role, 6 episodes 2009 Taking the Flak Jane Thomason Series regular, 7 episodes2010 New Tricks Gillian Withall Episode: "Left Field" The Sarah Jane Adventures Louise Marlowe Episode: "The Nightmare Man"2012 Me and Mrs Jones Selina Episode: "Series 1, Episode 6" Little Crackers Mum Episode: "Darren Boyd's Little Cracker: Le Concert de L'ecole" 2013 Quick Cuts Sue 3 episodes 2013–2015 Toast of London Jane Plough Series regular, 18 episodes 2013–2018 Plebs Flavia Series regular, 20 episodes 2014 Psychobitches Various roles Mini-series, 3 episodes 2015 Mountain Goats Norma Episode: "Homeless"2016 Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge The Partridge Playhouse Players / Caller 3 episodes, voice roles The Rebel Doctor McGill Episode: "Law" 2016–2025 Two Doors Down Cathy Series regular 1–5 and 7, 36 episodes 2019 Pure Sarah Recurring role, 4 episodes 2019–2026 Good Omens Archangel Michael Recurring role, 8 episodes2020 Flack Victoria Episode: "Duncan" The Duchess Cheryl 3 episodes 2022 Toast of Tinseltown Jane Plough / Brooke Hooberman (credited as Cocoah Mankind) 6 episodes 2023 Funny Woman Miss Sykes 2 episodes: "Series 1, Episodes 1 and 3" Death in Paradise Melanie Parker 1 episode: "Christmas Special" 2025 The Scarecrows’ Wedding Various roles 1 Episode 2026 Ludwig Portia Lowery 1 Episode
Theatre Year Title Role Venue Notes 1987 To Kill a Mockingbird Mayella Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham 1988 'Tis Pity She's a Whore Annabella Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough 1990 The Square Battersea Arts Centre, London 1991 Abigail's Party Beverly Moss Cambridge Theatre, London also, UK Tour1992 Me and My Friend Julia Minerva Studio, Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Killers Veronica Royal Court Theatre, London1994 Road Carol/Lane/Valerie Royal Court Theatre, London also, UK Tour The Queen and I Diana, Princess of Wales Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Leicester 1995 Mother Courage and Her Children Yvette Pottier Royal National Theatre, London 1996 A Midsummer Night's Dream Helena Almeida Theatre, London also, International Tour1999 Sacred Heart Kate Royal National Theatre, London Emma Emma Woodhouse Watford Palace Theatre, Watford 2003 Excuses! Olivia Soho Theatre, London2007 A Respectable Wedding The Wife Young Vic, London Boeing-Boeing Gretchen Comedy Theatre, London 2008 Loot Faye Tricycle Theatre, London 2011 The Government Inspector Anna Andreyevna Young Vic, London 2012 Jumpy Frances Royal Court Theatre, London & Duke of York's Theatre, London 2017 Twelfth Night Feste Royal National Theatre, London 2019 Bitter Wheat Sondra Garrick Theatre, London
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2012 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Supporting Actress In A Play Jumpy 2014 BAFTA Television Awards Best Female Comedy Performance Plebs British Comedy Awards Best Female Television Comic Toast of London 2024 BAFTA Television Awards Best Actress Television Two Doors Down
See also List of British actors References
External links