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Movies & TV

22nd Aug 2023

Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee to launch new series on Channel 4

Ellen Fitzpatrick

We cannot wait.

Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee, has a new comedy thriller set in Northern Ireland landing on Channel 4.

The new eight-part series is called How To Get To Heaven From Belfast and sees a group of school friends leading very different lives now that they’re in their late thirties.

The show sees mother-of-three Robyn and Dara, a full-time carer of an elderly parent, involved in a mystery after attending the wake of their former classmate, successful writer Saoirse.

The two attempt to put the pieces together and uncover the truth and along the way, the women head from their native Belfast where the “pain of the past is plastered on every mural” to rural Donegal as they look for an answer.

Channel 4 has said that the series will take viewers on an “enthralling and hilarious journey, exploring the themes of friendship, memory and what happens when life doesn’t turn out quite how we expected.”

Lisa McGee and Channel 4 to team up for new mystery comedy series

The series has been written and created by McGee and is being produced by Hat Trick Productions and executive produced by Caroline Leddy and Liz Lewin, who both worked on Derry Girls.

Reflecting on the show, McGee said: “I feel so incredibly lucky to be making another show for the phenomenal Channel 4 and to be doing it with Hat Trick Productions again and the creative team behind Derry Girls, the mighty Liz Lewin and Caroline Leddy, is just a dream.

“I’ve wanted to make a comedy thriller set in Northern Ireland for such a long time. I cannot wait to share these flawed funny women with everyone.”

Charlie Perkins, head of comedy at Channel 4, added: “This is huge. We couldn’t be prouder that Channel 4 feels like this extraordinary show’s spiritual home.

“Getting to know the multi-hyphenated talents of Lisa, Liz, Caroline and their collaborators at Hat Trick Productions has been one of the greatest pleasures in my first year as head of comedy.”

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