In May 2026, Sarah Valentine was featured in Irish Star discussing why Irish accents — particularly Northern Irish — are considered some of the most difficult accents for actors to master.

Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in film and television, Sarah explained that accents such as Northern Irish, Scouse, Geordie and Scottish can be especially challenging due to their rhythm, musicality, vowel changes and nasal placement.

“Northern Irish is very hard. It’s a nasal accent, but there’s also a distinct rhythm to it.”

Sarah also discussed the melodic quality of Irish accents, describing them as having “a distinct lilt and varied vowel pronunciations” that almost “sing” when spoken naturally.

“An Irish accent is melodic, with a distinct lilt and varied vowel pronunciations. A true Irish accent almost sings.”

— Sarah Valentine, Accent & Dialect Coach

With the upcoming Peaky Blinders film on the horizon, media outlets are revisiting key moments from the original series and discussing the performances that made the show so memorable.

In a recent article, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight shared three episodes he believes fans should rewatch before seeing the new film. The piece also explores the characters and performances that defined the series and why the show continues to capture audiences worldwide.

As part of the discussion, accent and dialect coach Sarah Valentine shared insight into the importance of authentic regional speech in period dramas.

“When actors are working with regional accents, it’s not just about pronunciation. The rhythm, musicality and emotional tone of the voice all shape how believable a character feels on screen.”

— Sarah Valentine, Accent & Dialect Coach

Sarah Valentine was featured in the Daily Mirror offering her professional analysis of the accents used by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. In the interview, she explained how Catherine’s accent would naturally shift as her social status changes, and noted that actors often slip out of an accent during emotionally heightened scenes.

“What really matters is that the accent doesn’t pull you out of the film, and a good actor makes sure it never does.”