'I'm still angry at myself': Sharon Horgan reveals her biggest regret after ending her 14-year marriage

From the dark comedy Bad Sisters to her new post-divorce comedy, Youth, Sharon Horgan has been the brains - and heart - behind some of the biggest shows of the last few years.

Full of poignant observations and nuanced takes on dating, relationships and life, the Irish actress and writer has no doubt brought some of her own experiences into her creations - including the feeling of staying in a marriage even when you know it isn’t working.

Appearing on Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail podcast, Sharon revealed that, though she’s never been happier since ending her marriage, she’s still "angry" at herself for staying when she knew it wasn’t right - and questions why this is a familiar pattern for many women.

"There came a point where it was so clear that it wasn’t right for either of us,” she said on the podcast. “It’s an odd one because I’ve never been happier but I’m angry at myself.

"Not for the failure of the marriage but for not figuring it out earlier. It’s so destructive, I think. You get one life and that’s an awful lot of time to spend on something that’s not working."

Sharon was married to TV producer Jeremy Rainbird for 14 years. The pair share two children together and called it quits in 2019.

Despite staying married for 14 years, Sharon had a sense that theirs wasn’t to be a marriage that lasted forever - but “guilt” and “conditioning” kept her waiting around.

“I guess it was one of those things that was a long time coming. And I feel like it's weirdly connected to confidence as well, or also that thing of what you should do versus what your body tells you and your brain tells you that you ought to do.

“I don't know what kind of conditioning it is that got so in the way of what my instinct was, and what would have been good for everyone. I don't know whether it's being slightly a bit Catholic - some of that stuff still being in me was just that idea of not getting divorced.

“You don't get divorced. Just stay in it - it's so much harder to go through all that, to go through a divorce.”

When it comes to their two daughters, Sadhbh and Amer, Sharon revealed “There's no co-parenting. Just me, it's just me.”

“I have this recurring image of my youngest daughter on her own crying. When she was crying with us we were able to talk and talk it out and explain how it was going to be, but she left and went into another room. That's going to stay with me forever.

“What I'd lost sight of was how important it was for them to see a working relationship, a healthy working relationship.”

Giving a reassuring lesson for anyone in a similar position, Sharon shared that, once you’ve finally bitten the bullet, there can be a positive outcome worth experiencing the pain and stress of a divorce.

She said, “Yes it failed, but it had such a positive impact on my life.”