Sharon Horgan

Sharon Horgan's cult comedy ran for two series, but has been denied a third. It seems it doesn't matter how well received Pulling was, BBC3 is now so narrowly focused on its young audience that there's no place for a show about 30-somethings, even if they are slatternly, emotionally retarded drunks.

It's an intermittently hilarious parade of cartoonish characters and crude, often cruel set pieces, with Tanya Franks particularly salty as an alcoholic primary school teacher. Pulling wasn't a classic, but it deserved more time.

In deeply dispiriting but strangely not surprising news, BBC3 has axed Pulling, a decision that will persuade no one that Danny 'Phoo Action' Cohen isn't a moron. I suppose that without Pulling around, Coming Of Age won't look quite as atrocious but is that really reason enough to axe one of the finest comedies on TV? I suppose if there ever was a third series of Gavin and Stacey, Cohen would pass on that too because every recommission means one less space for a new project. You can only hope that one of Janice Hadlow's first decisions as controller of BBC2 would be to offer a home to Sharon Horgan and Dennis Kelly's marvellous comedy. Good knows it doesn't have anything remotely funny of its own at the moment. Unless you count Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful People. Which I don't.

BBC3 axes Pulling after two series

BBC3's edgy comedy Pulling is to end with a 60-minute special next year after the channel decided not to order a third series.

BBC get it badly, badly wrong by cancelling 'Pulling'

Someone at the BBC needs slapping senseless... that's if there's any sense there in the first place. Why? Well, in light of the fact that Auntie is currently showing some of the worst shows I've ever seen (The Cup, the woeful Coming of Age), they've decided to nix one of the best shows I've seen in ages.

BBC3 pulls Pulling: a terrible decision

The decision not to bring back Pulling is certainly a poor one. It may not have reached the ratings heights of Gavin and Stacey or Little Britain, but it was a funny, smart and topical show that spoke to its loyal audience.

With Gavin & Stacey scooping the big prizes, I do worry that BBC3's other brilliant comedy Pulling is getting a little overlooked. It never fails to make me laugh and, although the storylines are completely mad, they somehow work brilliantly.

I'd love to see this for a third series but I wonder if the barrage of people who switch off after their weekly dose of Gav and Stacey have blown the chances of this Sharon Horgan masterpiece getting another outing.

Pulling is not just about shocking us with the filthy behaviour of a bunch of thoroughly disreputable thirtysomething women (though it is quite a lot about that, and it does it very well). It's good in many other ways, too. It's beautifully observed and written, the characters speak not in a comedy-drama way, but in the way real people speak (which, you could argue, is what a comedy-drama way should be), even on the phone. They're fabulous, these characters - larger than life, but also just like life, or lifelike. We all know - or have met - Karens, Louises, Donnas (you know who you are!). They're bad and mad, but also warm and lovely - a killer combination. They care about each other, so we care about them.

Pulling shares a lot of ground with Nighty Night - it has the cojones to go where other comedy doesn't dare, a darkness and a genuine belly-laugh funniness. It's the funniest thing on telly at the moment by a mile.

Sharon Horgan is a favourite of ours and this sitcom - deservedly in its second series - shows off her acting and writing talents superbly.

The show is never far away from a shocking moment but it's all done in the best possible tastelessness. It is packed with plot and scenes of clever farce but also has time for lots of well-observed, dry dialogue. What the characters say is funny when they think they're being funny and equally funny when they think they're being serious.

Sharon Horgan: late starter

After years of messing about, personally and professionally, Sharon Horgan has finally got it together - starting a family and writing 'Pulling', a hit sitcom about selfish singletons. As the second series starts, the writer and actress tells Sophie Wilson what took her so long.

Sharon Horgan Q+A Interview

Digital Spy has a quick series two question and answers session with the writer and star.