Sally Bretton is a household name thanks to her illustrious TV career. The star made a name for herself in BBC sitcom Not Going Out before going on to star in other popular shows such as The Office, Death in Paradise, its spin-off Beyond Paradise, and earlier in the year, The Au Pair.
The 45-year-old is back on screens for the holiday season with a special Christmas episode of Beyond Paradise, returning as Martha Lloyd to Shipton Abbott alongside her on-screen partner, DI Humphrey Goodman, played by Love Actually star Kris Marshall. The special airs on BBC One on 21 December, a week before Death in Paradise broadcasts its own festive episode.
Beyond Paradise's Christmas episode delves into a deeply personal case for Humphrey' after a mysterious man shows up holding his photograph. It's unclear where the narrative will pick up, but the series follows the season three finale, which aired in May and ended with Martha and Humphrey saying an emotional goodbye to the little girl they fostered, Rosie.
© JOSS BARRATTSpeaking to BBC about what makes Martha and Humphrey's love story so endearing to audiences, Sally said: "I think because it's a real love match. They are both kind-hearted by nature and they genuinely want the best for each other.
"As a couple, they enjoy each other's company and have so much fun. It's been a hard road for them and they're finally in a happy spot. I can’t wait for viewers to see their relationship develop in the next series."
But what about her husband in real life? Here's what we know about her love life and family below…
Sally's husband and family life
Sally likes to keep her private life pretty low-key, but it's well known that she's married to a photographer and the couple live together in their family home in Hertfordshire.
© Channel 5Sally and her husband shared three daughters together, including twins. Similar to her marriage, Sally likes to keep her kids out of the spotlight, keeping their names private. However, in an interview with Glasgow Times back in 2020 about her role in the play adaptation of Dial M for Murder, the actress mentioned that due to her children being young, she doesn't often take touring theatre roles.
© BBC"My children are still quite young, so I haven't done much theatre – touring is not a good fit with family life," she explained. "My children came up to Aberdeen for half term, which was fantastic – we had a lovely time. Even saw some dolphins, which was unexpected."
The actress made a rare comment about her husband in a recent interview where she divulged she loves to binge-watch "soothing" shows that are enrapturing but not stressful. "So for me, Beyond Paradise has decades ahead of it because that’s the sort of stuff I like. I just don’t want to get my amygdala involved when I’m watching telly – much to my husband’s irritation," she told The Telegraph.
Sally's TV career
Sally's role as Zoe in The Au Pair is among her most recent, but prior to starring in the drama, the actress had plenty of other stints in popular shows. One of her first TV roles was in 2001 when she played Donna in Ricky Gervais' hugely successful sitcom The Office, before then going on to star in other cult-comedy Green Wing as Kim Alabaster.
© Gary Moyes, BBC PicturesShe's perhaps best known for her roles in Not Going Out and Beyond Paradise, which she has been starring on since 2023. "I want Beyond Paradise to run and run. I love working on it, I love everybody who’s involved in it and if these things help to support it, then I want to do that," she told The Telegraph in March 2025 ahead of the show's third season. Her other TV credits include: Absolute Power, The Bill and Hotel Babylon.
Sally also opened up to the outlet about what she'd like to star in next, admitting that while she enjoys light-hearted roles, she "would love to do something more gritty and use those muscles a bit more as well”.
The Beyond Paradise Christmas special airs on BBC One on 21 December at 9pm.
