Comedian Miranda Hart, 53, returned to television in 2026 after years of battling chronic illnesses, including Lyme disease and ME/CFS, and shared emotional moments on The Celebrity Traitors.
Miranda Hart, best known for her BBC sitcom Miranda and role in Call the Midwife, has publicly discussed her long-term health struggles while preparing for a comeback on The Celebrity Traitors. Diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2020 and later with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), she described her journey as invisible and expressed renewed joy in participating in the show.
Early Life and Breakthrough
Miranda Hart initially performed stand-up comedy before landing small television roles in the early 2000s. Her successful sitcom Miranda, which she created and performed in with Tom Ellis, marked her breakthrough in 2009. The series was a hit BBC sitcom.
Her other television credits include Not Going Out and The Vicar of Dibley. In 2015, she appeared alongside Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham in the action comedy Spy. In 2020, she portrayed Miss Bates in the film version of Jane Austen’s Emma, which featured Anya Taylor-Joy in the lead role. In 2026, Miranda Hart became part of the cast of The Celebrity Traitors, joining stars like Richard E. Grant, James Blunt and Ross Kemp. She is 6ft 1in (185cm) tall.
Health Battles and Diagnosis
She told The One Show: Once you’ve been bed and housebound with a fatigue-based chronic illness that takes a long time to be diagnosed – which sadly I know a lot of people will know – you miss life a lot. So I’m thrilled to be sitting here.
Her health significantly worsened following the conclusion of her popular sitcom Miranda in 2015, after she collapsed at home and remained mostly bedridden or housebound for years. I thought I may never have a gentle walk around a park again,
she reflected during a Celebrity Traitors challenge, where she transported heavy pieces while answering questions about their fellow contestants to boost the charity prize fund. It was very exciting,
she added.
Hart also discussed the impact of her illnesses on her career. I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long-term ill health issues and when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed, I smiled, and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy.
She spoke to the BBC ahead of her appearance on The Celebrity Traitors, emphasizing the show’s role in her recovery. Lyme disease results from a tick bite and is caused by bacteria; while most individuals recover with antibiotic treatment, some experience lingering symptoms that may persist for years.
Show Details and Specific Missions
During The Celebrity Traitors, Traitors Maya Jama, James Acaster, and King Kenny received an unusual task to entice an unsuspecting Faithful into a room and induce them to yawn. James tried to amuse Ross Kemp and Jerry Hall with mundane discussions about Texas, while Maya kept yawning to prompt one of them to do the same.
The show’s second series features Miranda, and viewers are tasked to find out whether Miranda Hart is playing the role of Traitor or Faithful.
Future Steps and Unanswered Questions
Hart’s memoir, I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest With You, details her experiences with Lyme disease and ME/CFS. She described getting the diagnosis as a relief
after years of being misunderstood.