About a 50-year-old divorcee’s search for sex and love

Sharon Horgan is to make a new comedy series about a 50-year-old divorcee’s search for sex and love while juggling caring for her ailing parents and parenting her should-be grown up son.  

The premise for the yet-to-be titled HBO show appears to be drawn at least in part from her own life.  The Bad Sisters and Motherland creator is 54, and divorced TV producer Jeremy Rainbird six years ago – although they had two daughters rather than a son.

This new project is the first under a two-year deal Horgan has signed with the American cable broadcaster, giving them a first look at any of her projects.

Horgan will write, star in and executive produce the series through her production company Merman. She said she was ‘really excited that Merman get to continue to tell stories for a company that’s been home to some of the most iconic television shows ever created’.

Amy Gravitt, the broadcaster’s executive vice president of comedy programming, added: ‘We’re  thrilled to be reunited with Sharon. Her willingness to offer up her own experiences through the characters she creates makes us all feel a little less lonely, that is what sets her comedy apart so brilliantly. 

‘She also has such a sharp eye for material and a strong desire to shepherd other people’s stories, we’re looking forward to the new talent she will bring into the fold.’

The project marks a return to HBO for Horgan, who created the network’s comedy series Divorce, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, which ran for three seasons from 2016.

She made Bad Sisters for Apple TV+, while she is one of the creators of Motherland spin-off Amandaland for the BBC.

Published: 28 Feb 2025