The Herald - The Herald Magazine
Northern Irish comedy Derry Girls is back
IT’S been six years since Nicola Coughlan stepped on to the set of Derry Girls for the very first time. A journey the actress describes as nothing short of “mad”, it’s a period that will forever be immortalised by plaid school uniforms, elaborate dance routines and the outspoken views of a particularly vocal Catholic nun.
But as audiences ready themselves for the third and final series of the Bafta-nominated sitcom, its cast are pensive. With the gates of Our Lady Immaculate College poised to close on their characters for the final time (or at least on television, given creator Lisa McGee’s big screen ambitions), breakout star Coughlan and co-star Jamie-Lee O’Donnell have already begun lamenting the loss of their on-screen companions.
“It’s a weird thing, grief, saying goodbye to a character,” reflects Coughlan, 35, following a lengthy pause. “It’s a really strange thing that’s very hard to explain to people. I mean, Clare Devlin is a mess, but I love her and I will miss her very much,” she adds, referencing her academically ambitious character.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully say goodbye in my head,” agrees co-star O’Donnell, 30, who plays outspoken Michelle Mallon in the series.
Set against the backdrop of Northern Ireland’s political conflict, Derry Girls is the coming-of-age tale audiences never knew they needed. Depicting the heart-warming escapades of four girlfriends and a “wee English fella” as they navigate the awkwardness of adolescence, the first nostalgia-packed series had viewers pining for the 90s. Now, four years on from its television debut, the series is ready to tie up the remaining loose ends as the teens anxiously await their GCSE results.
“We always knew it was going to end at the time of the Good Friday Agreement, that’s something Lisa’s talked about quite a lot,” says Coughlan.
Recounting how she received the final scripts for Derry Girls mid-way through shooting the “big, heavy stuff” for Bridgerton’s series two finale, the actress says she was “really stressed” at the thought of potential filming clashes. “I was like, ‘I can’t even look at these because my head’s gonna explode!” adds Coughlan.
“I was so worried I wasn’t gonna be able to film Derry Girls and everyone would hate me,” says the star, looking visibly distressed over Zoom. “We did a night shoot on the Thursday for Bridgerton, which wrapped at 5am on Friday morning. I went home, packed, flew on the Saturday, on the Sunday I had a costume and wig fitting, and then was filming Derry Girls on Monday.”
Swiftly transforming into something of a global phenomenon, the debut series of Derry Girls became Channel 4’s biggest comedy launch in over 14 years. The popularity led to Netflix subsequently acquiring the rights, attracting a new legion of fans on the far side of the Atlantic.
Describing the show’s popularity in the US as “super crazy”,
half stone each. Critics meanwhile worry that we are pinning all our hopes on a single solution, and question whether obesity is in fact the cause of a health crisis or merely a symptom. Deborah Cohen investigates.
Brickies (BBC3, 9pm)
Meet the young bricklayers who are laying out a future for themselves and getting paid for what they do best. This new six-part fly-on-thesite series begins by introducing us to three groups of brickies on a housing development in Stoke-on-Trent. Jeorgia, from Wales, hopes to realise her dream of buying a sporty new car, while new apprentice Tom T hopes to prove himself as he gets to grips with life in the real working world. And finally, things take a turn for labourer Tom C when he unexpectedly finds himself out of a home.
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars (BBC1, 9pm)
In business, Ramsay explains, you never know what is around the corner and so this week his mantra is “expect the unexpected”. Considering what is ostensibly a cookery/ business show began its run with its host leaping into the sea from a helicopter, we were sort of on that page already. To illustrate the point he sends the contestants off to the Lake District where he presents them with a surprise brief, which they must complete while 1,000ft in the air. A theme emerges, and one can’t help but wonder if there is a big problem with vertigo in the restaurant business. Then they must design, create, market and pitch their own product singlehandedly, before – scariest of all – facing Gordon one-on-one for a grilling.
Taskmaster (C4, 9pm)
One of Channel 4’s biggest scores since acquiring Bake Off was snagging this raucous slice of daftness from Dave. Now Taskmaster is back for a new series (its 13th!) with a fresh line-up, comprising stand-up comedians Ardal O’Hanlon, Bridget Christie, Chris Ramsey, Judi Love and Sophie Duker. If anyone remains unfamiliar with the show’s simple charms, the schoolmasterly Taskmaster Greg Davies presides over frankly ludicrous challenges set by “sidekick” (actually the show’s creator and exec-producer) Alex Horne.
GOOD FRIDAY
Jill Halfpenny’s Easter Walks (BBC1, 1.30pm)
The actress explores how ancient Christian paths crisscrossed the north-east of England, inspiring unique traditions and customs, many of which are still celebrated at Easter. She visits the historic town of Hexham, joining bellringers in the Abbey and having a go herself, and enjoys the Hexham Abbey Choir as its members rehearse a favourite Easter hymn – This Joyful Eastertide. In Lauder on the Scottish Borders, Jill meets a local horseman who explains the tradition of riding the parish boundary, an annual much-loved traditional event.
Dinosaurs: The Final Day with David Attenborough (BBC1, 6.30pm)
Since 1999’s groundbreaking BBC documentary Walking with Dinosaurs, the corporation’s renowned Natural History Unit has been fascinated by these extinct megafauna, and scientific advances in palaeontology have led to more and more detail, helping bring their lost world back to life. We’re not quite at Jurassic Park point just yet but this new David Attenborough series does give us a greater understanding of the creatures and their extinction. Using palaeontologist Robert DePalma’s remarkable discovery of a well-preserved prehistoric graveyard as a reference point, the veteran naturalist sheds new light on what happened when an asteroid bigger than Mount Everest struck late-Cretaceous Earth.
Grayson’s Art Club (C4, 8pm)
Grayson Perry’s theme this week is one close to most of our hearts right now because he’s focusing on holidays – and frankly, who among us couldn’t do with one of those? Joining him and wife Philippa in their studio is actor, comedian and author Katy Wix, star of Not Going Out, Ghosts and The Windsors. Here she discusses all things art and various vacation-themed recollections, while discussing her own work and her inspiration. Grayson also talks to some of the many talented amateur artists up and down the country who have submitted their pieces, choosing some of his favourites for a national exhibition, while Denzil Forrester chats about his vibrant paintings inspired by London’s dub, reggae and dancehall scenes.
Pilgrimage: The Road to the Scottish Isles (BBC2, 9pm)
The seven celebrities – Laurence LlewelynBowen, Monty Panesar, Louisa Clein, Nick Hewer, Scarlett Moffatt, Shazia Mirza, Will Bayley – continue their pilgrimage promoting peace and tolerance for all cultures, travelling by road and sea over 1,600km while learning about St Columba, a key figure in early Christianity. The celebs all hold different faiths and beliefs – for example Llewelyn-Bowen is a pagan, Hewer agnostic, Panesar a Sikh and Moffatt Christian – and all have something to teach and learn from one another.
Grantchester (STV, 9pm)
Will and Geordie must be feeling pretty good about themselves, having sent the killer to jail and kept the local homeless community safe. That’s short-lived, though, as another vagrant is found dead, clean-shaven and killed in exactly the same manner as the previous victims. Could it be that the pair have not only failed the victim and the vulnerable people they were trying to protect, but also sent an innocent person to prison? They’d better find out quickly – it’s the last of the series, after all.
La Voix Humaine (BBC2, 10pm)
Poulenc’s short opera La Voix Humaine, based on Jean Cocteau’s 1928 play, is performed by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, featuring soprano Danielle de Niese and shot on location in Paris and London. Antonio Pappano is the conductor for this emotional single-hander, which takes the form of a woman (de Niese) making a last phone call to her lover, revealing that she has attempted suicide because he has abandoned her for another woman. James Kent is the director.