Lisa McGee’s Northern Irish hit comedy Derry Girls has been crowned champion of the Best Comedy Programme category at the Broadcast Awards 2023.
The show also picked up the award for TV Moment of the Year at this year’s ceremony.
“The show is comedy genius on every level,” said one judge, with another noting the consistently strong performances from the entire cast. McGee’s writing and ability to create “loveable, funny characters who you grow to love as friends” was another highlight for the judges, alongside the show’s “belly laughs with a strong political core”.
Produced by Hat Trick Productions (Father Ted) for Channel 4, the show was praised for its bold approach to “blending a particularly troubled period of time with laugh-out-loud comedy,” with judges stating that the final series of Derry Girls was a clear winner for the category.
Speaking about the two wins, Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee told IFTN: “We honestly weren't expecting to win, there were some amazing shows in our category. We are so thrilled.”
“To take home the TV moment of the year as well was incredibly special, considering the sequence was about the Good Friday Agreement vote, as a Northern Irish show, that kind of recognition means a lot"
Series three of the sitcom delivers comedy and emotional gut-punches as Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle and James get their GCSE results and vote on the Good Friday Agreement.
The show’s impact has been far-reaching, with references in The Simpsons, the House of Commons, and Dáil Éireann (the Irish Parliament). It has also been widely praised for educating UK fans about a period of history they weren’t taught in school.
Writer Lisa McGee is the first woman to be awarded the Freedom of the City of Derry, while Derry itself has seen a tourism boom – with a Derry Girls mural in the heart of the city, themed tours, and props from the show on permanent display at the Ulster Museum.
The show stars Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, and Dylan Llewellyn,
Click here for full list of winners at Broadcast Awards 2023.
