Senior Planet talks to…Sally Wainwright
If many women imagine their lives are over after hitting menopause, then for award-winning British TV writer Sally Wainwright, it provided a burst of sparkling inspiration.
With a spirited motto of “the best is yet to come,” her rebellious, music-fueled series Riot Women explores the untapped creativity of women who are no longer bound by marriage, child-rearing, or 9-to-5 jobs. After raising two sons and separating from her husband, Sally, now 62, leaned into her female friendships and even learned to play the drums—writing a hit TV show in the process.
Today, she shares with SENIOR PLANET why we should all refuse to grow old:
Q: After writing hit Brit TV series Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, what sparked the idea for a show about five menopausal women who form a punk band?
SALLY: I began thinking about it about ten years ago. I wanted to write about a female rock band, but I also wanted to reflect my own experiences as a woman in my 50s. At that time, I was juggling multiple shows while my mum was declining with dementia. I felt like I was disappearing down a black hole while trying to manage everything around me. I wanted to celebrate women of that age and show what we’re capable of.
Q: So it’s semi-biographical?
SALLY: Yes, in a way. I started experiencing menopausal symptoms like brain fog and anxiety. I didn’t want to focus solely on menopause but rather on the challenges women face in their 50s and 60s.
Q: How was that for you personally?
SALLY: It felt like I was trying to be everything for everyone while losing sight of myself. Nobody seemed to be looking out for me anymore.
Q: How did you turn that experience into your new show, Riot Women?
SALLY: I aimed to write about my experience in a way that wasn’t about complaining. I wanted to create an uplifting story that would resonate with people.
Here’s a sneak peek at Riot Women
Q: You were also struggling with marital issues at the time?
SALLY: Yes, my marriage was rocky, and I realized that my female friends were my support system. When my mum was struggling, it was my friends who came to my aid. I wanted to celebrate that community among women at this age.
Q: Did your marriage survive?
SALLY: No, we’re divorced. We were married for 29 years, and while it was a good marriage, we decided it was best to part ways.
Q: Your series Last Tango in Halifax was based on your mother finding love again in her 70s. How did that influence you?
SALLY: Yes, it was based on her experience. She reconnected with a childhood sweetheart online after 60 years apart, and they fell in love and married.
Q: That’s such an inspiring story.
SALLY: They were 75 when they married in 2005. My mum had been sad after my dad passed away, but meeting Alec transformed her. Their love was genuine and beautiful.
Q: How do you feel Riot Women is equally inspiring for older women?
SALLY: The big message is that these women, while in their 50s and 60s, are full of life. They form a punk band to raise money for charity and channel their experiences into creativity, showing that age doesn’t define us.
Q: You received some discouraging feedback while writing?
SALLY: Yes, someone told me a middle-aged punk band was unrealistic. But I thought, what’s more angry than menopausal women? The show starts with two women in dark places who find an unlikely friendship and unleash extraordinary creativity together.
Q: Other than starting a punk rock band, what advice do you have for seniors feeling stuck?
SALLY: I learned to play the drums for the show, something I’d wanted to do since childhood. At our age, we can finally afford to pursue our passions and travel without constraints. Now is the time to indulge in what we’ve always wanted to do.
Q: What’s your secret to aging with attitude?
SALLY: For me, it’s about working. I’m a workaholic, and I can’t imagine stopping. It’s important to fight negative emotions and find reasons to keep doing things that excite you.
NB: Riot Women premieres January 14 on BritBox.
Gill Pringle began her career as a rock columnist for popular British newspapers, traveling the world with Madonna, U2, and Michael Jackson. Now based in Los Angeles, she interviews film and TV personalities for prestigious UK outlets, including The Independent and The Sunday Times. A member of Critics Choice Association, BAFTA, and AWFJ, she wrote the screenplay for the 2016 Netflix family film, The 3 Tails Movie: A Mermaid Adventure. An award-winning writer, in 2021 she received 1st prize at the NAEJ Awards from the Los Angeles Press Club.
Photo: Sally Wainwright photo by Chloe Paul
If many women imagine their lives are over after hitting menopause, then for award-winning British TV writer Sally Wainwright, it provided a burst of sparkling inspiration.
With a spirited motto of “the best is yet to come,” her rebellious, music-fueled series Riot Women explores the untapped creativity of women who are no longer bound by marriage, child-rearing, or 9-to-5 jobs. After raising two sons and separating from her husband, Sally, now 62, leaned into her female friendships and even learned to play the drums—writing a hit TV show in the process.
Today, she shares with SENIOR PLANET why we should all refuse to grow old:
Q: After writing hit Brit TV series Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, what sparked the idea for a show about five menopausal women who form a punk band?
SALLY: I began thinking about it about ten years ago. I wanted to write about a female rock band, but I also wanted to reflect my own experiences as a woman in my 50s. At that time, I was juggling multiple shows while my mum was declining with dementia. I felt like I was disappearing down a black hole while trying to manage everything around me. I wanted to celebrate women of that age and show what we’re capable of.
Q: So it’s semi-biographical?
SALLY: Yes, in a way. I started experiencing menopausal symptoms like brain fog and anxiety. I didn’t want to focus solely on menopause but rather on the challenges women face in their 50s and 60s.
Q: How was that for you personally?
SALLY: It felt like I was trying to be everything for everyone while losing sight of myself. Nobody seemed to be looking out for me anymore.
Q: How did you turn that experience into your new show, Riot Women?
SALLY: I aimed to write about my experience in a way that wasn’t about complaining. I wanted to create an uplifting story that would resonate with people.
Here’s a sneak peek at Riot Women
Q: You were also struggling with marital issues at the time?
SALLY: Yes, my marriage was rocky, and I realized that my female friends were my support system. When my mum was struggling, it was my friends who came to my aid. I wanted to celebrate that community among women at this age.
Q: Did your marriage survive?
SALLY: No, we’re divorced. We were married for 29 years, and while it was a good marriage, we decided it was best to part ways.
Q: Your series Last Tango in Halifax was based on your mother finding love again in her 70s. How did that influence you?
SALLY: Yes, it was based on her experience. She reconnected with a childhood sweetheart online after 60 years apart, and they fell in love and married.
Q: That’s such an inspiring story.
SALLY: They were 75 when they married in 2005. My mum had been sad after my dad passed away, but meeting Alec transformed her. Their love was genuine and beautiful.
Q: How do you feel Riot Women is equally inspiring for older women?
SALLY: The big message is that these women, while in their 50s and 60s, are full of life. They form a punk band to raise money for charity and channel their experiences into creativity, showing that age doesn’t define us.
Q: You received some discouraging feedback while writing?
SALLY: Yes, someone told me a middle-aged punk band was unrealistic. But I thought, what’s more angry than menopausal women? The show starts with two women in dark places who find an unlikely friendship and unleash extraordinary creativity together.
Q: Other than starting a punk rock band, what advice do you have for seniors feeling stuck?
SALLY: I learned to play the drums for the show, something I’d wanted to do since childhood. At our age, we can finally afford to pursue our passions and travel without constraints. Now is the time to indulge in what we’ve always wanted to do.
Q: What’s your secret to aging with attitude?
SALLY: For me, it’s about working. I’m a workaholic, and I can’t imagine stopping. It’s important to fight negative emotions and find reasons to keep doing things that excite you.
NB: Riot Women premieres January 14 on BritBox.
Gill Pringle began her career as a rock columnist for popular British newspapers, traveling the world with Madonna, U2, and Michael Jackson. Now based in Los Angeles, she interviews film and TV personalities for prestigious UK outlets, including The Independent and The Sunday Times. A member of Critics Choice Association, BAFTA, and AWFJ, she wrote the screenplay for the 2016 Netflix family film, The 3 Tails Movie: A Mermaid Adventure. An award-winning writer, in 2021 she received 1st prize at the NAEJ Awards from the Los Angeles Press Club.
Photo: Sally Wainwright photo by Chloe Paul
