On the Verge of a Midlife Crisis with Sharon Horgan

17 December 2012

On the Verge of a Midlife Crisis with Sharon Horgan follows writer and comedian on a humorous journey trying to get through her ‘pre-midlife crisis'. She meets six women who have gone through a full blown midlife crisis to find out what happened, how they coped and how they even transformed themselves. Visiting them at home and hearing first hand their personal experiences, can they make Sharon feel better about approaching middle age?

Gaynor's crisis was triggered by her husband dumping her for the woman next door. She thought her love life was dead.  Toy boys saved her.  She's in her mid-50's now and always has a couple of young lovers (often mid 20's) on the go.

Bea is 47 and lives in Liverpool.  She says no to ageing gracefully. Her brother dying suddenly shocked her into changing her life, and her looks. She left her partner of 20 years, and now spends hundreds a month on surgery, fillers and botox.

Nicky is a businesswoman from Yorkshire. Aged 40, her husband left her with crippling debts, her parents died and worst of all, her baby son died. But while she raised her other son, alone, on benefits, she re-invented herself. Now at the age of 54, she's a motivational speaker and selling expert.

Leila is 48, single and has always wanted babies. She's originally from the USA, been married twice but never had children. Now, time is running out. She's doing artificial insemination with sperm donors but what she really wants is a ‘co-parent' - a man who wants to be part of her child's life. She thinks she's found him, but he's already got a partner...

Marie has downsized with a vengeance. She had her own software consultancy, three kids, husband, lovely farmhouse, and 300 pairs of designer shoes. But the pressure of being a working mother pushed her over the edge. She told her friends to come and take away all her belongings, and took her family to live on a derelict narrow boat.

Nicola is in her 30's and realised she'd been in the same office job for 18 years. She went back to night school, took her French GCSE, changed her job, left her partner of 7 years and moved out into a tiny London flat alone. Then she fell in love with the 1950's Rockabilly scene, dyed her hair orange, got ten tattoos and a new man.

Production Company: North One TV

Executive Producer: Ricky Kelehar

Producer: Ida Bruusgaard

Series producer & director: Chloe Thomas