Derry Girls on National Television Awards longlist

The Channel 4 show, based in Derry, has been nominated in the ‘Comedy’ category alongside 16 other nominees, including ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’, ‘Fleabag’, ‘This Time with Alan Partridge’ and ‘Afterlife’.

Based on votes by the public, the longlist will be whittled down to a shortlist and the overall winners will be announced in January, in a glitzy ceremony hosted by comedian David Walliams.

The NTAs are among the most sought after in the industry and other categories include Talent Show, Drama, TV Presenter, and Drama Performance.

‘Derry Girls’ was also named on last year’s longlist, but did not make the shortlist. To help ensure they do for the 2020 ceremony, you can vote online at www.nationaltvawards.com.

The closing date for voting is 11pm on Friday, October 25.

The National Television Award nomination is just the latest in a string of accolades and nominations the much-loved series has picked up.

These included a Bafta nomination for Best Scripted Comedy Programme, a British Screenwriter’s Award for writer - and Derry woman - Lisa McGee for Best Comedy Writing on Television, the Best Comedy Prize at the Broadcast Awards 2019 and the coveted Sky Arts Comedy prize, among others.

The series is a big hit on Netflix and has fans across the world, not least Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, who recently revealed she watched the show while filming ‘Little Women’ in the United States to remind her of home.

The second series of Derry Girls was shown on Channel 4 in March and April and a third series was confirmed, although filming and release dates are not yet known. It was recently announced that Lisa McGee - who announced the birth of her second son earlier this week - has created, alongside her husband Tobias Beer, a Donegal-set thriller called ‘The Deceived.’