Channel 4 favourite Derry Girls has taken home the Bafta TV award for best scripted comedy.
Derry Girls took home a number of Bafta TV awards last night, including best scripted comedy and Siobhán McSweeney winning the award for best female performance in a comedy role for her role as the brilliant Sister Michael.
Speaking last night, creator Lisa McGee said that the show’s wins are “an amazing end to our Derry Girls journey”.
Derry Girls wins best scripted comedy at TV Baftas 2023 – an amazing end to the Derry Girls journey
During her acceptance speech at last night’s ceremony, Lisa McGee said she was having trouble finding her list of thank yous because couldn’t remember her phone passcode.
“I’d like to thank our first home, Derry, with its unbreakable spirit, and hilarious characters,” she continued.
“We’d tell people we were making a comedy about teenagers navigating the Troubles and the standard response was ‘that’s not funny’,” she said to the audience, saying it “didn’t have runaway hit written all over it”.
“What an amazing end to our Derry Girls journey. It’s been a privilege making this show and thank you for watching.”
An incredible night for Derry Girls – two great wins
This isn’t the first time the show won the award for best scripted comedy at the TV Baftas. It also won in 2019 and 2020.
As well as winning the scripted comedy award this year, Siobhán McSweeney also took home the award for best female performance in a comedy show.
The Cork actress joked that she was told not to make a political statement or to be boring or sad. She ended up saying, “To the people in Derry, thank you for taking me into your hearts and your living rooms.
“I am daily impressed with how you encompass the spirit of compromise and resilience despite the indignities, ignorance and stupidity of your so-called leaders (in) Dublin, Stormont and Westminster.
“In the words of my beloved Sister Michael, ‘it’s time they started to wise up’”.
Derry Girls – adored by people around the world
Derry Girls graced our screens from January 2018 until May 2022 and was adored by millions around the world.
The show followed the lives of four Derry teenagers, Erin, Orla, Clare, and Michelle, and the wee English fella, James, growing up in Derry at the tale end of the Troubles.
The first series became the most-watched series in Northern Ireland since modern records began back in 2002.
The final episode, titled The Agreement, was set in 1998 during the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and was widely considered one of the most touching and historically prominent moments of the show.
