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Movies & TV

16th Aug 2018

Derry Girls star would definitely fancy a crossover with The Young Offenders

Paul Moore

Fans of both shows would love to see this.

2018 has been a memorable year for Irish comedy and in terms of TV shows, Derry Girls and The Young Offenders have a momentum behind them that’s unlike anything in recent years.

Granted, Peter Foott’s 2016 film proved to be a box-office and critical hit, so we knew all about the quality of The Young Offenders, but very few people could have predicted the monumental success of Lisa McGee’s beloved comedy that’s set on Foyleside.

The list of honours for both shows makes for incredibly impressive reading. For example, The Young Offenders was renewed for a second season before the first episode even aired and in recent weeks, the show has been nominated for the prestigious Rose d’Or Award.

With regards to Derry Girls, it’s easy to run out of compliments and superlatives. 1) The biggest series ever in Northern Ireland since modern records began in 2002. 2) Channel 4’s biggest comedy launch since 2004. 3) Voted as the Radio Times Comedy Champion for 2018.

Cork’s most loveable langers and Derry’s most beloved girls – and the wee English fella – were introduced at this year’s IFTAs were both shows won awards but as mentioned previously, two stars of the respective shows, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (Derry Girls) and Jennifer Barry (The Young Offenders) will be performing together in a new show, Girls and Dolls, and the crossover might not stop there.

Girls and Dolls

When asked about the idea of the two shows meeting, O’Donnell who plays the hilarious Michelle in Derry Girls said: “People love saying that. People love a good crossover. Maybe there could be a really random cameo of just one of the characters just popping up in a bar or something. Siobhan (Barry’s character in The Young Offenders) and Michelle would definitely be good friends, they’re very similar. Very loud and up for the craic.”

When asked about the possibility of a crossover between both shows, Barry was a little bit more coy. “It might happen but I’d doubt it,” she said although in a previous interview with JOE, her Young Offenders co-stars Alex Murphy (Conor) and Chris Walley (Jock) said that they’d definitely fancy it.

Like everyone else, Chris Walley is a big fan of Lisa McGee’s show but he was slightly skeptical about how a crossover might work. “It’s really great. I’m really enjoying that. That (crossover) would be weird though. We probably need a time machine or something. They’d be in their 40s,” he said.

Rather than get our hopes down, Conor (Alex Murphy) was the rare voice of reason in a discussion with Jock. “I was saying that. A trip up to Derry. We should do that! The film is set in 2007, the TV show is modern so Season 2? Yeah. We’ll get Jock and Conor up to mischief there. That would be good yeah!” he said.

Well, if they meet in a bar and take O’Donnell’s suggestion, we fully expect an older version of Michelle to still arrive with a tray full of drinks and before saying ‘Sláinte motherfuckers’ to everyone.

Before they even met at the IFTAs, it’s clear that there’s a mutual love-in between the two casts.

“We’re such big fans of each others shows and it was great to finally meet and chat. It was all just one big love in of ‘Oh my god, we love your show!” Everyone thinks that there’s this big competition between both shows and not at all. I think with Irish comedy and with us – a female comedy – I’m sort of thinking the more the merrier. Why not build this big CV of Irish comedy and actors doing well. Why the hell not?!” said O’Donnell.

These sentiments are echoed by Barry because she was giddy at the chance of meeting the stars of Channel 4’s hit show.

“We met the Derry Girls there and it was very surreal – both of us in the same room – it’s not something the cast saw coming. The only thing that’s a touchy subject is that they beat us in the semi-finals of the Radio Times poll We don’t talk about it!,” she said jokingly.

Barry adds: “Na, I’m only kidding. If it wasn’t us (The Young Offenders) that won then we’re absolutely delighted it’s them because Derry Girls is a great show.”

Jennifer Barry (The Young Offenders) stars alongside Jamie Lee O’Donnell (Derry Girls) in Girls and Dolls by Lisa McGee which plays for a limited run from 11th-15th September at The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin.