Northern Ireland

Third series of Derry Girls commissioned by Channel 4

Last night's series finale of Derry Girls culminated in US president, Bill Clinton's 1995 visit to Derry. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Last night's series finale of Derry Girls culminated in US president, Bill Clinton's 1995 visit to Derry. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Last night's series finale of Derry Girls culminated in US president, Bill Clinton's 1995 visit to Derry. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

Channel 4 has commissioned a third series of hit comedy show, Derry Girls.

The station confirmed the third series of the Lisa McGee comedy as series two reached its finale last night.

Set against the troubles in 1990s Derry, the show features the tribulations of teenager, Erin Quinn, her cousin, Orla McCool and friends, Michelle Mallon and Clare Devlin as well as Mallon’s cousin, “the wee English fella”, James Maguire.

Combining the wit of the Derry teenagers with the final days of the troubles, the show turns its comic eye on some of the most taboo subjects from Catholic-Protestant relations, to the Irish tradition of wakes and to lesbianism in an Irish town.

Since its firs airing in January 2018, Derry Girls has won a raft of awards, including Royal Television Society awards and an IFTA. It has also been nominated for this year’s BAFTAs in the Best Scripted Comedy category.

The show has broken all records for Channel 4 and is already the biggest series in Northern Ireland since modern records began. The comedy was so successful that Channel 4 commissioned a second series after just one episode.

In last night’s series finale, Erin and her friends turned up for the historic first visit to Derry by US president, Bill Clinton in the hope of befriending his daughter, Chelsea. Granda Joe (Ian McElhinney) settled a 30-year score with his brother, the boring Uncle Colm (Kevin McAleer) while for shop-keeper Denis it’s a chance to sell US tat.