- - ‘Too Close for Comfort’ Star Lydia Cornell, 72, Is a Blonde Beauty 40 Years After Departing the Show

Megan JohnsonJanuary 3, 2026 at 11:06 PM

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Photo by Walt Disney Television Photo Archives on Getty Images

Lydia Cornell rose to stardom as Sara Rush on Too Close for Comfort, but the star of the ’80s series still knows how to light up a room.

While it’s been a few years since Comfort was must-see television, Cornell, 72, is still making the scene on social media. A blonde beauty, who also appeared on other classic ’80s series like The Dukes of Hazzard, The Love Boat, and Quantum Leap, keeps up with fans and followers on social media and makes it clear that she hasn’t changed all that much from her days alongside Ted Knight, Nancy Dussault, and Deborah Van Valkenburgh on the fun familysitcom.

Last week, Cornell shared a stunning selfie for the Christmas holiday, standing in front of her Christmas tree. Sporting a black turtleneck sweater and gold necklace with stars, Cornell looked better than ever.

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What’s Lydia Cornell Up To These Days?

Cornell hasn’t ruled out a potential Too Close for Comfort reboot. In July, she told Remind Magazine they’re working on putting it together.

“[My writing partner] Larry and I wrote a Too Close for Comfort reboot,” Cornell shared with the publication. “It’s going really well — centering around a younger generation and maybe having Baby Andrew becomes the Ted Knight (Henry Rush) character. We bring our kids into the house.”

Cornell is an Advocate for Sobriety

In addition to her work in film and TV, Cornell is an advocate for sobriety. With 30 years of recovery from alcoholism under her belt, the actress has shared the dark times that got her there. In a 2020 interview with Fox News, she shared how her drinking picked up significantly after Too Close for Comfort went off the air.

“I was just binge drinking. You lose control and you don’t know what you’re doing. I became a radioactive blackout drinker. It became really scary after I had my baby. I didn’t drink during the pregnancy at all, but after he was born, I couldn’t handle it. I drank until I passed out, blacked out. It was really scary,” she recalled.

After a terrifying blackout and an intervention put on by her family, Cornell found herself in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. She knew she was in the right place to surrender finally. Sober since 1994, she calls her journey a “beautiful, incredible gift.”

“It is truly a miracle,” she told Fox. “And I hope my story can help others. If I could help one person overcome their struggles, then revealing my darkest moments is truly worth it.”

Related: ‘Too Close for Comfort’ Star, 73, Is a Stylish Gray-Haired Beauty in Rare Public Appearance

This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”