Derry Girls actress Jamie-Lee O’Donnell will front a new documentary about her life in her home city of Derry.
Jamie-Lee, who plays the hilarious Michelle in the hit comedy Derry Girls, will present The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O’Donnell where she explores how things have changed since she grew up in Derry.
The proud Derry woman will be delving into the city’s complex past while also offering her own personal insight into her upbringing in a Catholic community.
Viewers will hear from real Derry girls, students at Jamie-Lee’s old school, about the regeneration of the city and why, despite this, many young people feel that they need to leave Derry to gain new skills and experiences. The film will also look at what the future may bring for Derry, in particular for the younger generation who still live with the impact of the Troubles.
Channel 4 has commissioned Northern Ireland’s Tyrone Productions to create the documentary. The air date has not yet been confirmed.
Patricia Carroll, Executive Producer, Tyrone Productions, said: “Fiercely proud of her home city, Jamie-Lee is the perfect person to explore Derry’s past and share her hopes for its future and we know that Channel 4 audiences will be both entertained and intrigued by what she discovers.”
Derry Girls, which wrapped up last week, has brought the city to international prominence over three entertaining and poignant seasons. Jamie-Lee’s work is set to build on the status of the city and give a voice to a new generation of Derry’s young people, so they can tell us what it’s like to grow up there in 2022.