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MNHQ

Webchat with Catastrophe's Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney - Tuesday 1 December, 9-10pm

210 replies

RachelMumsnet · 30/11/2015 14:34

Calling all Catastrophe fans: We’re very excited to announce that co-authors and stars Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney will be joining us for a webchat tomorrow eve (9-10pm), directly before transmission of the final episode of the season.

Sharon Horgan is an irish actress, writer and director. She won a British Comedy Award for her BBC show Pulling which was also nominated for a BAFTA for Best Sitcom. Rob famously rose to fame on twitter where his hilarious tweets soon caught the eye of comedy promoters. He now has 1.2 million followers and it was on twitter where he first met Sharon and they conceived the idea for the series.

Join us on this thread on Tuesday evening to chat with Sharon and Rob and if you’re unable to join us then, post your questions in advance on this thread.

Webchat with Catastrophe's Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney - Tuesday 1 December, 9-10pm
OP posts:
piperchapman44 · 01/12/2015 21:16

I just found series 1 at the weekend and have watched obsessively since - caught up now - it is so completely refreshing and brilliant - just nothing else like it out there.

There have been a few questions about Sharon's clothes - which seems trivial but actually it's bloody hard in your 40s to find a style which doesn't make you look old and dull ad that doesn't involve spending loads of ££. I LOVE the clothes and I'm already thinking of ways to reinvent what I already have. So thank you for that!

RobDelaney · 01/12/2015 21:17

@Pantone363

No question but I just wanted to say you saved our relationship!

Two days of not talking, passive aggressive banging around and sticking our fingers up at each other behind closed doors caused by a screaming baby who refuses to sleep.

DP stomps into the living room that night and grunts "I'm putting Catastrophe on"

Ten minutes later we were laughing together and nodding along. The sex whilst the baby cries is inspired!

Nothing to say other than that this makes me so happy to hear. Now maybe I can try to get the show to save my relationship. x

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:17

@Lurleene

Hi Sharon and Rob -looking forward to Catastrophe tonight but sad this series will be over, it has flown by.

Sharon - please can you tell me if the Complete Boxset of Pulling, including the Special, will be released in the UK?

DH refuses to buy the current version because it 'isn't complete'!

Your husband is right to be pissed off about that but I’m not sure the complete set will ever get released. We asked for the Special to go with the series but it wasn’t financially viable. Or something. Think it’s on Amazon though right? Or Hulu? iTunes?

RobDelaney · 01/12/2015 21:18

@tomatotoad

I haven't seen this - what channel is it on? I loved 'Pulling' so will be giving this show a go. (Please bring back Pulling though!)

Catastrophe is on Channel 4 at 10pm. Tonight is the final episode of the second series.

laziz · 01/12/2015 21:18

Hi guys!

Firstly, thanks for making such an awesome show. It's so great to see a hilarious, positive, crazy and real depiction of marriage on TV. There are not enough!

I have two questions (greedy like that) - who are TV couples you love? And in terms of skipping forward in s2 to being settled with two kids, was there a reason? The first kid is such a shitstorm of a learning curve, I wondered why you decided to skip it (although can see that some of those things are covered with the second babe).

And Sharon - I think you are a goddess and and am hoping that we'll get your HBO series in the UK?

Ok that's three but really, I'm done.

(Rob, we saw your stand up in Brighton and I haven't laughed so hard in forever. Wanted to add that after calling Sharon a Goddess to keep things even.)

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:19

@SharonHorgan

[quote DickDewy] This is my husband's question, so not mine Grin

Are either of you Mumsnetters? Some lines seem very MN-y.

I'm a mumsnet virgin.[/quote]

but is it me or is this website hard to use? i'm breaking out in a sweat

DickDewy · 01/12/2015 21:19

Are your character's parents based on your own, Sharon?

I have Irish parents that make a social life out of going to randomers' funerals and then they talk about the food, or if they're really lucky and get to see the corpse, they can gossip about how 'failed' he or she was Confused

VenusInFauxFurs · 01/12/2015 21:20

I love the fact that you cover serious issues. One of my favourite scenes from Series 1 was when Sharon received (good) news from her doctor and decided to take a lie-down in the middle of the supermarket aisle.

And in this series, you are dealing with the issue of aging parents and dementia.

Do you intentionally have a proscribed serious stuff/funny stuff/filth ratio? Or does it just turn out that way?

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:21

@piperchapman44

I just found series 1 at the weekend and have watched obsessively since - caught up now - it is so completely refreshing and brilliant - just nothing else like it out there.

There have been a few questions about Sharon's clothes - which seems trivial but actually it's bloody hard in your 40s to find a style which doesn't make you look old and dull ad that doesn't involve spending loads of ££. I LOVE the clothes and I'm already thinking of ways to reinvent what I already have. So thank you for that!

I mainly go to two shops in Hackney - Sublime and The basement - a second hand dress exchange. i buy a lot of odd bits and pieces from designer sales and a fair whack of vintage

FedUpWithBriiiiiick · 01/12/2015 21:21

We love Catastrophe in our house too.

Rob, if you're not on MN already, you should join. There's a Vaping topic...

My question is: was it a deliberate choice not to have the children as the main focus in the series, more Sharon and Rob's relationship post-children? It's so spot on... Sharon, your PND is so subtly acted

piperchapman44 · 01/12/2015 21:21

Oh just realised I didn't ask my question, which is:

Did you consciously set out to create a relationship which in which the characters were so utterly, completely accepting of each others faults and weaknesses? Is this what you think gives them their strength as a couple.

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:22

@DickDewy

Are your character's parents based on your own, Sharon?

I have Irish parents that make a social life out of going to randomers' funerals and then they talk about the food, or if they're really lucky and get to see the corpse, they can gossip about how 'failed' he or she was Confused

Not really. They are based on Irish people of that generation that i've come across and then parents in general.

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:22

@FedUpWithBriiiiiick

We love Catastrophe in our house too.

Rob, if you're not on MN already, you should join. There's a Vaping topic...

My question is: was it a deliberate choice not to have the children as the main focus in the series, more Sharon and Rob's relationship post-children? It's so spot on... Sharon, your PND is so subtly acted

yes very deliberate. Child actors are expensive and hard to wrangle

RomComPhooey · 01/12/2015 21:22

I love the fact that you cover serious issues. One of my favourite scenes from Series 1 was when Sharon received (good) news from her doctor and decided to take a lie-down in the middle of the supermarket aisle.

The scene that ended the episode with Sharon in the taxi queue at the airport was perfection too - beautifully written and acted. I like the mixture of raucous humour, the absurd and the quiet moments.

redlou · 01/12/2015 21:22

I'm late to the party with Catastrophe - binge watched the first series and then all remaining episodes only last week. I've actually went back and watched all of series 1 all over again, I loved it so much.

I spent the first few episodes thinking how amazingly nice and supportive Rob's character was being - so it actually made the wedding argument kind of funny to watch, because he suddenly really, really let rip! 'The rainbow's got too many colours!' etc

So dare I ask you both if you mined your own lives for ridiculous choice words to say in their arguments?

RobDelaney · 01/12/2015 21:23

@VenusInFauxFurs

I love the fact that you cover serious issues. One of my favourite scenes from Series 1 was when Sharon received (good) news from her doctor and decided to take a lie-down in the middle of the supermarket aisle.

And in this series, you are dealing with the issue of aging parents and dementia.

Do you intentionally have a proscribed serious stuff/funny stuff/filth ratio? Or does it just turn out that way?

I think our only golden rule is that every episode better be fucking funny. It can have serious stuff too, if appropriate, but shame on us if you're not laughing throughout every episode, even if you have to pause to cry or gently wank under a blanket when Mark Bonnar is onscreen. x

BrianBettyGrable · 01/12/2015 21:23

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:23

@FedUpWithBriiiiiick

We love Catastrophe in our house too.

Rob, if you're not on MN already, you should join. There's a Vaping topic...

My question is: was it a deliberate choice not to have the children as the main focus in the series, more Sharon and Rob's relationship post-children? It's so spot on... Sharon, your PND is so subtly acted

Thanks FedUpWithBriiiiiick. And yes was very deliberate to focus on their relationship post the ravages of children rather than funny things that kids do

RobDelaney · 01/12/2015 21:24

@RomComPhooey

I love the fact that you cover serious issues. One of my favourite scenes from Series 1 was when Sharon received (good) news from her doctor and decided to take a lie-down in the middle of the supermarket aisle.

The scene that ended the episode with Sharon in the taxi queue at the airport was perfection too - beautifully written and acted. I like the mixture of raucous humour, the absurd and the quiet moments.

thanks! that's sort of the recipe we're going for. kind of all the ingredients of a good interesting life. x

miaowmix · 01/12/2015 21:24

googles Mark Bonnar

I also just like that Rob signs off with a sweet little 'x'

MsJuniper · 01/12/2015 21:24

Bloody LOVE Catastrophe. Best thing since Pulling. Never watched anything that's made me so unutterably happy and been so pleasantly surprised by lack of misogynist tropes.

Only thing is my Mum likes it too and even at 39 I feel quite embarrassed watching the wanking scenes with her. But that's not really your problem.

Muireann and Sadhbh are both beautiful names by the way.

Oh dear... I haven't really got a question.

Theodolia · 01/12/2015 21:25

As someone who had a premature baby earlier this year, I just want to say thank you for the handling of that bit, it felt you like our life. Was it coincidence that it was shown near to World Prematurity Day?

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:25

@redlou

I'm late to the party with Catastrophe - binge watched the first series and then all remaining episodes only last week. I've actually went back and watched all of series 1 all over again, I loved it so much.

I spent the first few episodes thinking how amazingly nice and supportive Rob's character was being - so it actually made the wedding argument kind of funny to watch, because he suddenly really, really let rip! 'The rainbow's got too many colours!' etc

So dare I ask you both if you mined your own lives for ridiculous choice words to say in their arguments?

not for the choice of words. Although Rob is very poetic even in his every day speech. But for the level of vitriol yes lives were mined

SharonHorgan · 01/12/2015 21:26

@BrianBettyGrable

I love the programme. Rob, I went to see your stand up after seeing you on telly. Was great. I especially liked my friend's reaction who also went, unbeknownst to me. A bit, um, crude, she said. Brilliant.

Anyway, my q is to Sharon - have you ever done or will you ever consider stand up?

I could Google the answer to the first bit, but seeing as you're here, I thought I'd ask.

Gutted that this series is nearly at an end, thank you for the laughs.

Never. Although i love watching stand up I am sadly just not fucked up enough to have it as my career

Lurleene · 01/12/2015 21:26

Thanks for replying about the Pulling DVD Sharon - DH says 'Boo! That's a pity'.

I think now we have your definitive answer we will cave and get the boxset, Pulling ( like Catastrophe!) is a classic. Anyone who hasn't seen it needs to watch it. Gavel.