Sharon Horgan: The Life Story Behind the Bad Sisters Star

Sharon Horgan is one of the funniest and most honest writers working in television today, and she is also a gifted actor who can make audiences laugh and cry in the same scene. She created Pulling, she co-created Catastrophe, she starred in Divorce, and she created and starred in Bad Sisters, a dark comedy about five sisters in Dublin who will do anything to protect each other. She writes about marriage, about friendship, about family, and about the messy, funny, painful parts of life, and she does it with a truth that is rare on television.

She was born in London and raised in Ireland, and she carries both places inside her. She started as an actor, she became a writer, and then she became a producer, building her own company and making the shows she wanted to see. Her story is about a woman who did not wait for permission, who wrote her own work, and who built a career on her own terms.

Sharon Horgan was born on 13 July 1970 in Hackney, London, to Irish parents, and she grew up in Bellewstown, County Meath, Ireland. She was a girl who loved to make people laugh, who loved stories, and who found her way to the stage at a young age. Her story is about talent, about hard work, and about a woman who turned her own life into comedy that millions of people love.

Born in London, Raised in Meath

Sharon Horgan was born on 13 July 1970 in Hackney, a part of east London known for its energy, its diversity, and its strong sense of community. Her parents were Irish, and when she was a small child, the family moved to Ireland, to Bellewstown, a village in County Meath, not far from Dublin. She grew up in the Irish countryside, in a world of green fields, small schools, and a strong sense of family.

As a girl, she was funny, and she was not afraid to be funny. She made people laugh at school, she took part in plays, and she found that she had a gift for comedy. She was not a child who wanted to be famous. She was a child who loved to perform, and who loved the feeling of making an audience laugh. She was bright, she was quick, and she had a way of seeing the funny side of life, even when life was hard.

Her family supported her, and they understood that she had a talent that needed to be nurtured. She went to school in Ireland, and she began to think about acting as a life, not just as a hobby. She was a teenager when she decided that she wanted to work in theatre and television, and she was determined to do it, even though it would not be easy.

Meath gave her a grounding that stayed with her. She was an Irish girl from a small village, and she never lost that sense of where she came from. Even when she was working in London, in Los Angeles, and on sets around the world, she carried that Irish warmth and that Irish humour with her. It is a quality that audiences can feel, and it is one of the reasons her work feels so honest.

Acting Beginnings and Moving to London

After school, Horgan trained as an actor and began to work in theatre and television in Ireland and in Britain. She appeared in small roles, she worked in comedy, and she learned how to act by doing it, in front of real audiences. She was not a star yet, but she was a working actor, and she was building a reputation for being funny, talented, and reliable.

In her twenties, she moved to London, where she worked as an actor and as a writer. London was a hard place for a young actor, with many talented people competing for a small number of jobs, and the pay was often low. Horgan took work where she could find it, and she kept learning. She appeared in television shows, she worked in theatre, and she began to write, because she wanted to create the kind of roles she wanted to play.

She also worked in advertising and in other jobs to pay the bills, as many young actors do. It was not glamorous, and it was not easy, but it taught her discipline, and it taught her how to keep going when things were hard. She was not a young woman who gave up easily. She was determined, and she was patient, and she knew that her time would come.

The years in London were important, because they gave her a new perspective. She was an Irish woman living in England, and she could see both countries clearly. She understood the differences between them, and she understood the similarities, and she brought that understanding to her writing. She was learning to be a writer, even when she did not know it yet.

Pulling and Finding Her Voice as a Writer

In 2006, Horgan co-created and starred in Pulling, a BBC comedy series about three single women in London in their thirties, trying to make sense of love, work, and friendship. Horgan played Donna, a funny, messy, and honest woman who was trying to find her place in the world. The show was a critical success, and it won a British Comedy Award. It was the first time Horgan had written a series, and it showed that she had a real gift for comedy writing.

Pulling was special because it was honest. It did not pretend that life was easy, or that women in their thirties had everything figured out. It showed women who were flawed, who made mistakes, and who were funny anyway. Horgan wrote about the things that real people talk about: bad dates, bad jobs, bad decisions, and the friends who help you through them. Audiences loved it, because it felt true.

The show ran for two series, and it made Horgan known as a writer, not just as an actor. She had found her voice, and it was a voice that was funny, honest, and female. She was writing about women’s lives in a way that had not been done on television before, and she was doing it well. It was a breakthrough, and it would lead to even bigger things.

After Pulling, she continued to write and act, taking on roles in television and film, and building her reputation. She appeared in the series Free Agents, and in other comedies, and she kept writing. She was not a star in the usual sense, but she was a respected writer and actor, and directors and producers trusted her.

Catastrophe, Divorce, and International Success

In 2015, Horgan co-created and starred in Catastrophe, a comedy series about an Irish woman and an American man who have a one-night stand, become pregnant, and decide to try to make a relationship work. Horgan played Sharon, a teacher in London, and she co-wrote the series with Rob Delaney, who played her partner. The show was a huge success, in Britain and in the United States, and it won many awards. It was funny, it was honest, and it was deeply moving, and it showed that Horgan could write about marriage, about parenthood, and about the messy parts of love.

Catastrophe ran for four series, and it made Horgan known around the world. She was no longer a British comedy writer. She was an international star, with a show that was loved by audiences in many countries. She had proved that she could write about real life, and that real life could be funny and sad at the same time.

In 2016, she starred in Divorce, an HBO series about a woman in New York who decides to end her marriage. Horgan played Frances, a woman who was trying to rebuild her life after divorce, and she played her with a humour and a sadness that made audiences love her. The show ran for three seasons, and it showed that she could play a leading role in American television, and that she could do it well.

These years were the peak of her career so far. She was writing, she was acting, and she was producing, and she was doing it all at the highest level. She had built a career that was based on her own voice, and on her own stories, and she had done it without waiting for permission from anyone.

Bad Sisters and a Dark Comedy Triumph

In 2022, Horgan created and starred in Bad Sisters, a dark comedy series for Apple TV+, about five sisters in Dublin, the Garvey sisters, who are trying to protect each other from an abusive husband. Horgan played Eva Garvey, the eldest sister, a woman who is trying to hold her family together, and who is willing to do almost anything to protect her sisters. The show was a huge success, and it won many awards, including a BAFTA for Best Drama Series.

Bad Sisters was special because it was Irish, it was dark, and it was funny, all at the same time. It was about sisterhood, about loyalty, and about the lengths that people will go to for family. Horgan wrote it, she starred in it, and she produced it, and she brought her Irish roots to the story. The show was set in Dublin, it was filmed in Ireland, and it felt Irish in a way that few international shows do.

The series was praised for its writing, for its acting, and for its tone, which moved between comedy and tragedy without ever feeling false. Horgan played Eva with a warmth and a strength that made audiences love her, and she showed that she could play a dramatic role as well as a comic one. It was a triumph, and it was one of the most acclaimed shows of the year.

A second series of Bad Sisters followed in 2024, and it continued the story of the Garvey sisters, showing what happened after the events of the first series. Horgan returned as Eva, and she continued to write and produce the show. It was a success, and it confirmed that Bad Sisters was not a one-off. It was a major work, and it was one that would be remembered.

Merman, Producing, and Building Her Own Company

Horgan is not only a writer and an actor. She is also a producer, and she co-founded the production company Merman, with Clelia Mountford, in 2014. Merman makes television and film, and it has produced many of Horgan’s shows, as well as work by other writers. It is a company that is run by women, and that makes work by women, and it is a model for how to build a career on your own terms.

Through Merman, Horgan has produced shows such as Motherland, a comedy about middle-class mothers in London, and other series that have been loved by audiences. She has used her success to help other writers, and to create opportunities for people who might not otherwise have had them. She is not only building her own career. She is building a company that helps others to build theirs.

She has also appeared in films, including the film Military Wives in 2019, and the film Together in 2021, and she has continued to work as an actor. She is a woman who does many things, and who does them all well. She writes, she acts, she produces, and she runs a company, and she does it with a humour and an honesty that is rare in the industry.

Her work as a producer matters, because it shows that she is not only a creative person. She is also a businesswoman, and she understands how to make television. She has built a company that is successful, and that is respected, and she has done it by being honest, by being funny, and by being herself.

What Her Story Means Today

Today, Sharon Horgan is recognised as one of the finest comedy writers and actors working in television, and she is known around the world for her work. She has won BAFTAs, she has been nominated for many awards, and she has the respect of her peers. She did it the slow way, and she did it the honest way, by writing her own work, by being herself, and by building a career on her own terms.

Her story means that a woman can write her own roles, and that she does not have to wait for someone else to give her a part. Horgan did not wait. She wrote Pulling, she wrote Catastrophe, she wrote Bad Sisters, and she played the leading roles herself. She is a reminder that the best way to get the work you want is to make it yourself.

For young writers and actors, her story is a lesson in courage and in patience. She started as an actor, she became a writer, she became a producer, and she built a company. She did it step by step, over many years, and she did it by being honest about her own life. That is a story that will inspire many young people who are just starting out, and who are wondering if it is possible to build a career that is truly their own.

Motherland, Military Wives, and Producing for Others

Through her company Merman, Horgan has produced Motherland, a BBC comedy about a group of middle-class mothers in London, navigating school gates, playdates, and the politics of parenting. The show was created by other writers, and Horgan produced it, using her experience to help new voices find an audience. Motherland became a beloved series, with several seasons, and it showed that Horgan was not only a writer for herself. She was a producer who could spot talent in others, and who could help them to make their best work.

She has also appeared in films as an actor, including Military Wives in 2019, a film about a group of women on an army base who form a choir, and Together in 2021, a film about a couple during lockdown, written by Dennis Kelly. In both films, she played women who were funny, warm, and real, and she brought her comedy timing to roles that were also deeply human. She is an actor who can make audiences laugh, and who can make them cry, sometimes in the same scene, and that is a rare gift.

Her work as a producer matters because it shows that she cares about the next generation. She did not just build a career for herself. She built a company that helps other writers, especially women, to get their work made. She knows how hard it is to get a show on television, and she uses her success to open doors for others. That is generous, and it is smart, and it is one of the reasons she is so respected in the industry.

Bad Sisters Series Two and the Story Continues

In 2024, Horgan returned with a second series of Bad Sisters, continuing the story of the Garvey sisters after the events of the first series. The new series showed what happened to the sisters when they tried to move on with their lives, and it introduced new characters, new dangers, and new secrets. Horgan played Eva again, and she wrote and produced the series with the same care she had brought to the first. It was a success, and it showed that Bad Sisters was not a one-off. It was a world that audiences wanted to return to, and a family they wanted to see again.

The second series was darker, funnier, and more emotional than the first, and it asked the sisters to face the consequences of what they had done. Horgan played Eva as a woman who was trying to hold her family together, while also trying to live her own life, and she did it with a warmth and a strength that made audiences love her even more. The show was praised for its writing, for its acting, and for its ability to move between comedy and tragedy without ever feeling false.

Making a second series is always a risk, because audiences loved the first one, and they have high expectations. Horgan took that risk, and she succeeded, because she understood the characters, and because she cared about them. She did not make a second series for the sake of it. She made it because there was more story to tell, and because the Garvey sisters still had things to say. That is a sign of a great writer, and it is why Bad Sisters remains one of the most loved shows of recent years.

Her early acting work in London also deserves to be remembered, because it was there that she learned how to survive as a performer. She appeared in small television roles, she worked in theatre, and she took on jobs that were not glamorous, including work in advertising to pay the bills. Many young actors give up at this stage, because the work is hard, the pay is low, and the rejection is constant. Horgan did not give up. She kept going, she kept learning, and she began to write, because she realised that the best way to get the roles she wanted was to create them herself. That realisation changed her career, and it changed television comedy.

She also learned, in those early years, how to observe people, and how to turn what she saw into comedy. She watched couples in pubs, mothers at school gates, and friends arguing over dinner, and she stored those moments away, to use later in her writing. Pulling, Catastrophe, and Bad Sisters are all full of moments that feel observed, not invented, because Horgan spent years watching real life, and learning how people actually talk, argue, and love. That is a skill that cannot be taught in a classroom. It can only be learned by living, by listening, and by paying attention, and Horgan did all three.

Her time in London also gave her a new perspective on Ireland. She was an Irish woman living in England, and she could see both countries clearly, with their differences and their similarities. She understood Irish humour, and she understood English humour, and she could write for both audiences. That is a rare gift, and it is one that has made her work successful in Britain, in Ireland, and in America. She is a writer who belongs to two places, and who brings both to her work, and that is part of why her comedy feels so universal.

My Take:

When I think about Sharon Horgan, the first thing I feel is gratitude, because she writes about life in a way that makes me feel less alone. She writes about marriage, about friendship, about family, and about the messy, funny, painful parts of being a woman, and she does it with an honesty that is rare on television. I think her work in Catastrophe was one of the finest things I have seen on television, and I want to explain why. Catastrophe is about two people who meet, who have a one-night stand, who become pregnant, and who decide to try to make it work. That is not a glamorous story. It is a real story, and Horgan told it with a humour that made me laugh, and with a sadness that made me cry, sometimes in the same scene. When Sharon and Rob argue, you believe them, because they sound like real people. When they make up, you believe them, because they sound like real people. That is not easy to write, and Horgan wrote it beautifully. I think the show was a triumph, and I think it was a moment that changed television comedy.

What I find most impressive about her is that she did not wait for permission. She started as an actor, she wanted better roles, and instead of complaining, she wrote them herself. She wrote Pulling, she wrote Catastrophe, she wrote Bad Sisters, and she played the leading roles herself. That takes a kind of courage that is hard to explain, and I admire it more than I can say. Many actors wait for someone to give them a part. Horgan made her own parts, and she made them better than anything anyone else would have given her. I think that is a lesson for anyone who is waiting for a chance. Do not wait. Make your own chance. Write your own story. That is what Horgan did, and it worked.

I also think about Bad Sisters, and about how special that show is. It is about five sisters in Dublin, who love each other, who fight with each other, and who will do anything to protect each other. Horgan played Eva, the eldest sister, and she played her with a warmth and a strength that made me love her. Eva is a woman who is trying to hold her family together, and who is willing to do almost anything to protect her sisters. That is a powerful story, and Horgan told it with a humour that made it bearable, and with a darkness that made it real. I think the show was a triumph, and I think the BAFTA for Best Drama Series was well deserved. It was not just a comedy. It was a drama about family, about loyalty, and about love, and it was told by a woman who understands those things deeply.

Her work as a producer matters to me, because it shows that she is not only a creative person. She is also a businesswoman, and she understands how to build a company. She co-founded Merman, and she has used it to help other writers, and to create opportunities for people who might not otherwise have had them. That is generous, and it is smart. She did not just build her own career. She built a company that helps others to build theirs. I admire that, because it shows that she cares about more than herself. She cares about the industry, and about the next generation of writers and actors.

I also think about her Irish roots, and about how much they matter to her work. She was born in London, she grew up in Meath, and she carries both places inside her. She writes with an Irish humour, she tells Irish stories, and she does it with pride. Bad Sisters is set in Dublin, it is filmed in Ireland, and it feels Irish in a way that few international shows do. I think that matters, because it shows young Irish writers that they do not have to hide where they come from. They can be proud of it, and they can use it in their work. Horgan does, and it makes her work richer and more real.

There is a sadness in her story too, and I want to be honest about it. It is sad that a woman with her talent had to write her own roles, because the industry did not give her the roles she deserved. It is sad that she had to build her own company, because the existing companies did not make the shows she wanted to see. That is not fair, and it is not right, but it is how the industry often works for women, especially for women over forty. Horgan did not accept that. She made her own work, and she made it better than anything the industry would have given her. I admire that, but I also wish that the industry were kinder, and that it did not make talented women work so hard to be seen.

I think about what her story teaches young writers, and I think the lesson is clear: write what you know, write honestly, and do not wait for permission. Horgan wrote about her own life, about marriage, about motherhood, about friendship, and about family, and she wrote it with an honesty that made people laugh and cry. She did not try to be someone else. She was herself, and she wrote as herself, and that is why her work is so good. That is a lesson for anyone who wants to write. Do not try to write what you think people want. Write what is true, and people will find it, because truth is what connects us.

I also admire the way she has handled success. She is now a known writer and actor, with BAFTAs and with fans around the world, but she has not changed. She is still the same funny, honest, and thoughtful woman she was before. She does not seek attention, and she does not try to be in every magazine. She chooses her work carefully, and she does it well. I think that is a sign of maturity, and it is a sign that she knows what matters. Fame is not the goal. Good work is the goal, and she has kept her eyes on that.

When I look at her career as a whole, I see a woman who has built something lasting. She has Pulling, she has Catastrophe, she has Divorce, she has Bad Sisters, and she has Merman, and she has the respect of her peers. She did it the slow way, and she did it the honest way. I think that is the best kind of success, because it is built on skill, not on luck, and it will last. She is still working, she is still writing, and I believe that her best work may still be ahead of her. I look forward to seeing what she does next, and I will be watching, because I know that whatever it is, she will do it well, and she will do it with heart.

In the end, I think Sharon Horgan teaches me that the best stories are the true ones, and that the best way to get the work you want is to make it yourself. She wrote her own roles, she built her own company, and she told stories that millions of people love. She did it by being honest, by being funny, and by being brave. That is a story worth telling, and it is a story that will inspire many young people for years to come. She is not just a talented writer and actor. She is a strong, kind, and remarkable woman, and her story is one that deserves to be remembered.

I also think about Motherland, and about what it says about her as a producer. She did not write Motherland, but she produced it, and she helped other writers to make it. That is generous, and it is smart. She knows how hard it is to get a show made, and she uses her success to open doors for others. I admire that, because it shows that she cares about more than herself. She cares about the industry, about women writers, and about the next generation. She built a company, and she used it to help others, and that is a legacy that will last longer than any single show.

Another thought that stays with me is about her age, and about how she has built a career that keeps growing in her fifties. Many women in television find that work dries up as they get older, but Horgan has done the opposite. She has written more, she has produced more, and she has taken on bigger roles. That is because she makes her own work, and she does not wait for someone else to give her a part. She is a reminder that the best way to keep working is to keep creating, and to keep telling stories that only you can tell.

I also think about the second series of Bad Sisters, and about how brave it was to continue a story that audiences loved so much. Many writers would be afraid to return to a successful show, because the expectations are so high, and because a second series can never be as good as the first. Horgan did it anyway, because she had more story to tell, and because she cared about the Garvey sisters. She did not make a second series for the sake of it. She made it because the characters still had things to say, and because the audience wanted to hear them. I admire that, because it shows that she is a writer who follows the story, not the success. She follows the characters, and she trusts them to lead her to the right place.

One more thought stays with me, and it is about her as a mother, and about how she writes about family. She has children of her own, and she understands what it means to be a parent, to worry, to love, and to make mistakes. She brings that understanding to her writing, and it makes her work feel real. When she writes about sisters, about mothers, and about families, you believe her, because she has lived it. That is a gift, and it is one that she shares with her audience, with honesty and with humour. She is not just a talented writer. She is a woman who has lived a full life, and who turns that life into art.

I also think about her early years in London, and about how hard they must have been. She appeared in small roles, she worked in theatre, and she took on jobs that were not glamorous, just to pay the bills. Many young actors give up at that stage, because the work is hard and the rejection is constant. Horgan did not give up. She kept going, she kept learning, and she began to write, because she realised that the best way to get the roles she wanted was to create them herself. That realisation changed her career, and it changed television comedy. I admire that, because it takes courage to stop waiting and to start making your own work. She did it, and she did it brilliantly.

One more thought stays with me, and it is about her eye for real life. She watched couples in pubs, mothers at school gates, and friends arguing over dinner, and she turned those moments into comedy that feels observed, not invented. Pulling, Catastrophe, and Bad Sisters are all full of moments that feel true, because Horgan spent years watching real people, and learning how they actually talk, argue, and love. That is a skill that cannot be taught. It can only be learned by living, by listening, and by paying attention, and Horgan did all three. That is why her work will last, long after other comedies have been forgotten.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bad Sisters about and who does Sharon Horgan play?

Bad Sisters is a dark comedy about five sisters in Dublin, the Garvey sisters, who try to protect each other from an abusive husband. Horgan created the series and plays Eva Garvey, the eldest sister, who tries to hold the family together.

What was Catastrophe and who did Sharon Horgan play in it?

Catastrophe was a comedy series she co-created and starred in with Rob Delaney, about an Irish woman and an American man who have a one-night stand, become pregnant, and try to build a relationship. Horgan played Sharon, a teacher in London.

Where was Sharon Horgan born and where did she grow up?

She was born in Hackney, London, on 13 July 1970, to Irish parents, and she grew up in Bellewstown, County Meath, Ireland, after the family moved there when she was a small child.

What is Merman?

Merman is the production company Horgan co-founded with Clelia Mountford in 2014. It makes television and film, including many of Horgan’s own shows, and it has produced series such as Motherland.

What was Pulling?

Pulling was a BBC comedy series from 2006 that Horgan co-created and starred in, about three single women in London in their thirties. It won a British Comedy Award and was her first major success as a writer.

Did Sharon Horgan star in an American series?

Yes, she starred in Divorce, an HBO series from 2016, playing Frances, a woman in New York who decides to end her marriage and rebuild her life. The show ran for three seasons.

Has Bad Sisters won any major awards?

Yes, Bad Sisters won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series, and it was widely praised for its writing, acting, and tone. A second series followed in 2024, continuing the story of the Garvey sisters.