How to Get to Heaven from Belfast: Everything you need to know about ‘Derry Girls’ creator Lisa McGee’s new Netflix comedy

“I couldn’t be more excited to start production on How to Get to Heaven from Belfast,” says McGee, the show’s creator, writer and executive producer. “I’ve loved writing Saoirse, Robyn and Dara – three flawed, funny women who are about to embark on the most thrilling and terrifying adventure of their lives. A mystery full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing and make you laugh out loud. Let’s go girls!”

Fun times, and the show sounds promising. But who’s in it, who’s behind the camera, where is McGee’s new series being filmed, and when can we hope to see it on our screens? Let’s find out.

What is How to Get to Heaven from Belfast about?

McGee’s new series concerns a close-knit group of friends who’ve been through everything together. There is Saoirse, a television writer whose life is more than a little chaotic; Robyn, the glamorous mother-of-three who’s almost at breaking point, and carer Dara, the quiet, dependable member of the group. Now in their late 30s, the women are just as close as they were in school – but there used to be a fourth member of the gang.

What, exactly, happened to Greta, and why did she fall out of touch with her mates? That’s for us to find out, and when an email arrives notifying the trio of their old friend’s death, it sets off a chain of “eerie events” from which there is no turning back. The official synopsis describes How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (a chewy title, but a good one) as a show about “friendship, memory and what happens when life doesn’t turn out quite like you’d expected.” Relatable stuff – it should be huge.

Who’s in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast?

The Bafta-nominated Roísín Gallagher, aka Shiv Sheridan in The Dry and Janet in The Lovers, portrays Saoirse. Another Bafta nominee, the great Sinéad Keenan (Little Boy Blue, Being Human, Unforgotten) takes on the role of Robyn, while IFTA nominee Caoilfhionn Dunne (Love/Hate, Industry, and the forthcoming A Thousand Blows) will play Dara. A tremendous line-up there, and the folks at Netflix have informed us that a supporting cast will be announced at a later date. Let the speculation begin.

Why did How to Get to Heaven from Belfast move from Channel 4 to Netflix?

Complicated funding issues, apparently. Produced by Hat Trick Productions (Father Ted, Derry Girls), the show was originally commissioned by Channel 4, which announced its involvement in August 2023. However, the channel then released a statement to Variety in March 2024 explaining its decision to part ways with McGee’s new venture.

According to a Channel 4 spokesperson: “We loved Lisa McGee’s How to Get to Heaven from Belfast and offered a substantial license fee to be its UK home. Unfortunately, due to changes in editorial direction as the development process progressed, coupled with rising costs and the recent cooling in the US co-production market, it became impossible to get the right international partner and funding plan in place. We wish Lisa and Hat Trick Productions all the best and look forward to working together on future projects.”

It’s a sad result for Channel 4, the original home of Derry Girls. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast was subsequently picked up by Netflix, who will now give McGee’s new series the sort of international reach that most television writers can only dream of. All’s well that ends well – for McGee, at least.

McGee has rounded up some of her old Derry Girls colleagues to help bring this intriguing new series to life

Where is How to Get to Heaven from Belfast being filmed?

The series is being shot in Northern Ireland, and McGee was pictured outside the Duke of York pub in Belfast for the official Netflix announcement. It will be a hometown shoot for Róisín Gallagher, who also filmed the 2023 Sky Atlantic romantic comedy The Lovers in Belfast. However, the show’s synopsis teases an adventure “through Ireland and beyond”, so that might entail a spot of national and, indeed, international travel (the fancy Netflix budget will come in handy there). Elsewhere, the streamer has announced eight 60-minute episodes, which seems a lot for a comedy, but hey, that’s how television works now. The bigger the show, the bigger the impact, apparently.

Who else is involved in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast?

Deep breath, everyone. McGee has rounded up some of her old Derry Girls colleagues to help bring this intriguing new series to life. The great Liz Lewin lends a helping hand as executive producer, alongside Caroline Leddy and Hat Trick Productions co-founder Jimmy Mulville.

Acclaimed producer Brian J Falconer (Derry Girls, Breathtaking, Ordinary Love, The Dig) is also involved, and the series will be directed by Michael Lennox, who directed all three seasons of Derry Girls. It’s like one big family reunion, and with so many of the old crew popping up behind the scenes, we’d be surprised if we didn’t see any of the beloved Derry Girls cast members added to the performers sheet. Fingers crossed.

When is How to Get to Heaven from Belfast released?

Some patience is required here. The folks at Netflix haven’t yet disclosed a release date – understandable given that production has just commenced on the series. These things take ages, and the rest of the year is already looking a little crowded in the release department. Might it be too much to expect an early 2025 premiere? Maybe, but a winter unveiling will guarantee a wider reach and a sharper focus on this thrilling new comedy.

We’ll keep you posted.