BAFTA-winning actor, writer, producer, and director Sharon Horgan revealed at the Hay Festival that her confidence soared after the second season of her hit show, Bad Sisters, aired last year. The star, known for her work on sitcoms such as Catastrophe, Pulling, and Motherland, previously doubted her success, believing it might be due to “luck or the right people around me.”
However, with Bad Sisters, an Apple TV+ adaptation of the Belgian series Clan, she felt a profound sense of ownership: “Even with a large team, it felt like mine. I belonged in that room.”
Bad Sisters, a darkly comedic revenge tale about sisters plotting against an abusive husband, wasn’t her first foray into creating her own roles. Horgan initially turned to writing because of difficulties securing acting parts, writing roles she felt represented her and her experiences.
Discussing her early 2000s BBC Three pilot Pulling, co-written with Dennis Kelly, Horgan noted the lack of female-driven comedy at the time: “Comedy was mainly written by men, writing female parts. I was writing about myself and my friends—flawed women. No one was really doing it then.”
Initially concerned that Pulling’s success might limit opportunities for other female creators, she felt a quota system was in place. Following this, she spent years working various jobs while developing new projects, until a connection with Rob Delaney on X (formerly Twitter) led to Catastrophe.
Channel 4’s Catastrophe, about a couple’s unconventional relationship following an accidental pregnancy, explored the complexities of love and parenthood: “We wanted to show how hard it is to stay in love when you’re a parent… and have terrible people running around under three feet tall!”
Motherhood was also a central theme in the BBC’s Motherland, co-created with Holly Walsh and Graham Linehan. The show, which spawned three series, Christmas specials, and a spin-off, Amandaland, humorously depicts the challenges of middle-class motherhood.
Horgan shared at Hay that her personal experiences heavily influenced Motherland: “I was living it. I’d go to my daughter’s school and feel existential. You need to find your people, and that’s what happened. I met these amazing women who are still in my life. It’s about a group of misfits. I felt like an outsider. It’s funny but also shows how lonely it can be.”
Despite her success, Horgan admitted to perfectionism, occasionally causing friction on set. She recounted a conversation with a leading actor who challenged her: “‘Don’t you think these people can do their jobs? You think you can do it better than all these people?’ And I thought, ‘Yes!’”
When asked which character she’d most like to be, Horgan chose Sharon Morris from Catastrophe, highlighting her honesty and ability to express her thoughts, even if flawed: “She had all the thoughts I was afraid to say.”