The Guardian Whats On – 5 September 2026
Summary
Sharon Horgan opens up about sex after 50, divorce and her new comedy Youth in The Guardian What's On 5-11 September 2026, saying "I didn't know if I'd ever have sex again" in the cover interview. The issue guides readers through the week's TV, radio and streaming from 5 to 11 September, with the Horgan interview as the anchor feature.
The cover story "Everything changed when I hit my 50s" by Lucinda Everett profiles Horgan on her new series Youth, which follows a 50-year-old woman navigating divorce, dating and adult children. The article covers Horgan's writing process, her collaboration with Rupert Friend, and her philosophy on mixing comedy with emotional pain. A review of Colin from Accounts by Rhik Samadder fills the TV-preview section.
Regular listings cover daily TV picks, radio schedules and streaming recommendations for the week. The issue functions as a combined programme guide and culture preview, with the Horgan interview as the editorial centrepiece.
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Content Guide
▸ Cover Story / TV Preview / Reviews / Listings
Everything changed when I hit my 50s — Sharon Horgan
Horgan on writing Youth after her own divorce, why she cast Rupert Friend as the younger love interest, and her rule about never letting a scene go by without at least one laugh. She admits she worried she would never have sex again after her marriage ended. Anyone writing a midlife comedy-drama can borrow her "three truths per episode" structure described in the interview.
Colin from Accounts — review
Rhik Samadder reviews the Australian comedy's new season on BBC Two, Mon 10pm. He notes how the show balances gross-out humour with genuine relationship insight. Viewers deciding whether to start from season 1 can use the four-episode catch-up guide printed in the margin.
TV picks for the week 5-11 September
Daily recommendations across BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky with broadcast times. Each day features 3-5 highlighted programmes ranging from documentaries to dramas. Streamers can check the daily "On Demand" column for titles that skip the linear schedule entirely.
Radio highlights for the week
A curated selection of BBC Radio 4, Radio 3 and Radio 5 Live programmes, including dramas, documentaries and live music sessions listed with broadcast times. Podcast listeners can find the radio-to-podcast conversion notice — which episodes are available as downloads the same evening.
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Editor's Take
The Sharon Horgan interview is the issue's only serious editorial — and it is good enough to carry the front half, with specific revelations about her post-divorce writing process and the deliberate tonal choices in Youth. The weakness is that once you finish the interview, you are left with a standard listings magazine that offers no second feature, no column, no essay. This issue is for Horgan fans, Guardian culture-section regulars, and anyone planning their TV week and wanting one solid personality piece to read alongside the schedule.
Strengths
• Sharon Horgan interview with concrete writing-process details
• "Three truths per episode" framework for comedy-drama writing
Weaknesses
• Only one feature article in the entire issue
• No opinion column or second-long read to balance the listings
Verdict: Selective read — buy for the Horgan interview, recycle the rest.
