Meet Sara - a veterinarian so skilled she can spay a tortoise one-handed. She's successful, she's popular - there's just one chink in her armour - she's too scared to tell her parents she's gay.

On the evening of her 40th birthday, Sara's friends give her an ultimatum: either she tells her parents when they come to visit in six weeks' time, or they will. To help Sara achieve this goal, they've saved up to buy a series of sessions with Toria, the eccentric and mildly-qualified lifestyle coach / therapist, and so the countdown begins.

Executive producer Nicola Shindler said: "Having known Sue for a number of years, I am familiar with her superb writing ability and natural comedic timing and I have always wanted us to work together. In Heading Out she has written a fantastically original, smart and witty script with engaging characters and pithy dialogue so I am eager for us to get cracking on such an exciting project."

Sue Perkins said: "I think once the gnawing terror, sleepless nights and relentless self-doubt has subsided, this might well be the thing that I'm most proud of. It's been a joy to work on, and I hope that joy proves to be infectious."

Commissioner Kristian Smith said: "Heading Out is a warm, intelligent and brilliantly funny sitcom. Sue is a fantastic writer, and we're thrilled to have it on BBC Two next year. Audiences can expect a super-sized, well-baked comedy from one of our very finest."