Catastrophe creator Sharon Horgan has said the upcoming fourth series of her Channel 4 sitcom will be about the reality of sex in long-term relationships.


Though previous seasons have given glimpses into the sexual relationship between accidental parents Sharon and Rob – including a particularly hilarious encounter in a public park – it seems the new episodes will go into greater depth than ever before.

“Is anyone in a long-term relationship actually having sex?” the actor/writer said in a recent interview with Elle UK. “I’ve definitely had some friends in couples who really go at it. But generally, long-term relationships seem to form into kind of partnership-friendship things. You don’t want to admit to yourself that you don’t have an active sexual relationship. People keep that under wraps.”

She then confirmed that this line of thinking will come into play in the series when it returns: “We’re writing the fourth season of Catastrophe at the moment, and that’s a big part of it.”

Last year, the comedy’s third run focused on Sharon’s grief after the death of her father, and Rob’s relapse with alcoholism. After filming had wrapped on the series, a real-life tragedy befell the cast and crew, when star Carrie Fisher passed away suddenly at the age of 60. The season finale featured a touching tribute to the actress, who played Rob’s sardonic mother Mia on the show.


Last week, Horgan told RadioTimes.com that the new series would reference Mia’s death, but that they were “still working it out”.