Derry Girls creator reveals how it inspired her new Netflix show How to Get to Heaven from Belfast

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Lisa McGee, the creator of Derry Girls, is building a completely new setting for her next project, a Netflix series called How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.

Most people are familiar with the creator and writer of Derry Girls, but it might surprise you to learn that the popular Channel 4 show unexpectedly sparked the idea for her latest work.

I started thinking, while watching old videos of ourselves, about what our younger selves would think of who we are now. Would they be let down, or would they be proud?

I was particularly fascinated by the contrast between who you were in the past and who you are today.

That idea really started to take shape thematically at that point. I’ve always loved mystery novels, and I knew I wanted to write one, but I wanted to do it my own way. I envisioned something funny, maybe a story featuring a group of women working together – it was about combining all those elements.

This eight-episode series follows Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara, three lifelong friends who are thrown into a surprising adventure when they learn about the death of a friend from their youth. Attending the wake, they quickly realize there’s more to the story than they initially thought, and a mystery unfolds.

The series is a slick, quick-moving thriller that showcases a new side of McGee’s work, but at its heart, it’s a story about three best friends navigating their very different lives.

McGee is clearly skilled at showing how friendships can be complex and funny, especially when focusing on groups. But what specifically draws her to writing about these kinds of friendships?

I have a close group of friends, and I always found my mom and other family members really amusing as I was growing up.

When I was writing Derry Girls, I realized it didn’t quite capture how things actually were. Growing up, we were a whirlwind of chaos and trouble, and often we were the ones creating the problems, not just dealing with them.

“And I think that grey area that, like that flawed character stuff, is the most interesting.

Often, men dominate storytelling, and when projects do focus on women, they tend to be heavy or deal with difficult subjects. I just want to see more fun, adventurous stories about women too – we deserve to have a good time and exciting experiences represented as well.

Let me tell you, the cast list for this series is seriously impressive. We’ve got Tom Basden, known for his work in ‘Here We Go,’ alongside Art Campion from ‘Blue Lights’ and the formidable Michelle Fairley of ‘Gangs of London.’ Rising stars like Josh Finan (‘Waiting for the Out’), Bronagh Gallagher (‘Brassic’), Darragh Hand (‘Heartstopper’), and Ardal O’Hanlon (‘Death in Paradise’) all add their talent, plus you’ll recognize Natasha O’Keeffe from ‘Peaky Blinders’ and Emmett J Scanlan of ‘MobLand.’ And of course, rounding it all out is the wonderful Saoirse-Monica Jackson, who you’ll definitely remember from ‘Derry Girls.’ It’s a powerhouse ensemble, and I’m excited to see them all work together.

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I’m so excited! You’ll be able to watch ‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’ on Netflix starting February 12th. If you don’t have a subscription yet, it’s really affordable – plans start at just £5.99 a month. And good news if you have Sky Glass or Virgin Media, you can watch it through them too!

Watch “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” on the TopMob app! Download now for daily TV suggestions, interesting articles, and more.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-02-11 20:04