Derry Girls crowned Comedy Champion following epic voting battle

The cast and crew of Derry Girls at the premiere in Brunswick Moviebowl in Derry back in January.

The stars of Derry Girls have expressed their delight after local people helped ensure the emerged victorious in the epic battle to be crowned Comedy Champion.

Lisa McGee’s Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls claimed the Radio Times last night following a neck and neck voting battle with Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s Inside No 9 over recent days.

Tens of thousands of local fans weighed in behind Derry Girls, sharing the link to the voting page on Facebook, Twitter, with even Lisa herself and the cast getting involved in the campaign, as did the crew behind Inside No 9.

It has now been confirmed by the Radio Times that almost a million votes were cast in the final of the Comedy Champion tournament.

And it came right down to the wire with Derry Girls taking the title with 50.1% of the vote to Inside No 9’s 49.9%.

Derry Girls racked up 462,946 votes while Inside No 9’s tally was 461,140 by the deadline of 10pm on Tuesday night.

Lisa McGee tweeted as the voting closed: “Thank you all so much for all your votes . A truly epic battle with the fantastic Inside Number 9 . I’m sure everyone needs a lie down now.”

Lead Derry Girls actress Saoirse Monica Jackson Tweeted: “Thank you to everyone who voted for #derrygirls we are BUZZING !!!!!!!!”

Nicola Coughlan, who plays Clare in the show meanwhile Tweeted: “YOU BEAUTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE DID IT!!!!!!”