Irish Dance Front and Centre in Channel 4 Series Escape to Florida

Florida-based Irish Dance teacher and adjudicator Sarah Costello Hyland will appear this week in the new Channel 4 television series Escape to Florida, airing in the UK and Ireland. The show follows several people who have relocated from UK and the north of Ireland to Florida as they navigate new lives, careers, and businesses in the Sunshine State.

The programme spotlights Sarah’s busy life running the Sarah Costello Irish Dance Academy USA — now home to more than 150 dancers — while balancing family life in Celebration, Florida, the Disney-designed town near Orlando.

Viewers will also get a glimpse into Scott’s unique dog walking business, which reportedly has more than 2,000 dogs on its books and serves guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort area.

Irish Dance fans may already recognize Sarah from her recent “Behind the Bell” feature in our Mid-March/April 2026 issue, where she shared her insight on adjudicating, stage presence, modern Irish Dance trends, and the evolution of competitive dancing.

Subscribers can read Sarah’s full feature now through the IDM Subscriber Portal as part of their digital benefits. Interested readers can also purchase the issue individually through the Irish Dancing Magazine Shop.

Escape to Florida airs on Channel 4, with streaming available throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland via Channel 4’s platform. Many viewers in the Irish Dance community are already hoping the programme may eventually become available globally through an international streaming service.

Watch for more from Sarah in IDM’s upcoming July issue, where she will share behind-the-scenes insight into filming the show and what it was like having her family and dance school featured on television.