The wait is nearly over for fans of Derry Girls and British-Irish comedy. Creator Lisa McGee returns with her newest series, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, set to premiere globally on Netflix in February 2026.
Originally developed for Channel 4, the project has since found its perfect home on Netflix — where McGee’s trademark wit and heart are set to reach a worldwide audience. The series blends her signature humor with a touch of mystery and emotional depth, promising to deliver something both nostalgic and refreshingly new.
Introduction to the Series
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is an eight-part dark comedy-drama that revolves around three estranged friends — Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara — who are forced back into each other’s lives when an unexpected message lands in their inbox. The email announces the death of Greta, a classmate they were once close with, reigniting old tensions, secrets, and unfinished business.
Their journey to uncover the truth behind Greta’s death takes them across Ireland, pulling them into a web of memory, guilt, and absurd humor. Beneath the mystery lies an exploration of friendship, faith, and female identity in contemporary Northern Ireland.
McGee describes the show as “a mash-up of my two favorite genres — mystery and comedy” and promises that viewers will be both laughing and guessing at every turn.
“We got the gang back together — the creative team behind Derry Girls has reunited to bring you How to Get to Heaven from Belfast,” said McGee. “This is the show I’ve always wanted to make… an Irish odyssey full of twists, turns, and arguments about eyelash extensions.”
Key Features
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | How to Get to Heaven from Belfast |
| Creator | Lisa McGee (Derry Girls) |
| Genre | Mystery, Comedy, Drama |
| Country of Origin | Northern Ireland |
| Production Companies | Hat Trick Productions / Netflix |
| Seasons / Episodes | 1 Season (8 Episodes, 1 hour each) |
| Release Month | February 2026 |
| Filming Location | Belfast and various parts of Northern Ireland |
| Filming Period | July–October 2024 |
| Distribution | Netflix (Global) |
The Plot: Friendship, Secrets, and a Darkly Comic Road Trip
At its core, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is about friendship — the kind that can survive decades of change, betrayal, and distance.
When Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara — three women now in their late thirties — learn that Greta, a close friend from their school days, has died, they’re forced to reconnect. What begins as a reluctant reunion turns into a cross-country journey to uncover the truth about Greta’s mysterious past and their own complicated relationships.
As they travel across Ireland, the women confront memories they’d rather forget, secrets they’ve buried, and the guilt they’ve long ignored. Along the way, McGee’s sharp humor and emotional storytelling weave through moments of heartbreak, absurdity, and redemption.
Expect sharp dialogue, eccentric Irish backdrops, and moments of sincere vulnerability — all hallmarks of McGee’s storytelling style.
Cast and Characters
The series features a mix of Derry Girls alumni and a powerhouse lineup of Irish and British actors.
Main Trio
| Actor | Character | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Roísín Gallagher (The Dry) | Saoirse | A cynical academic whose skepticism hides deep emotional scars. |
| Sinéad Keenan (Derry Girls, Little Boy Blue) | Robyn | A fiercely practical professional juggling motherhood and identity. |
| Caoilfhionn Dunne (Kin) | Dara | A free-spirited artist haunted by the group’s shared past. |
Supporting Cast
Netflix has unveiled an impressive supporting ensemble of familiar faces:
- Tom Basden (After Life) as Seb
- Art Campion (Blue Lights, Derry Girls) as Jim
- Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones, Gangs of London) as Margo
- Josh Finan (The Responder) as Jason
- Bronagh Gallagher (Pulp Fiction, Brassic) as Booker
- Darragh Hand (Heartstopper) as Liam
- Ardal O’Hanlon (Father Ted, The Woman in the Wall) as Seamus
- Natasha O’Keeffe (Peaky Blinders) as Greta — the deceased classmate whose death sets the story in motion.
- Emmett J. Scanlan (Kin, The Fall) as Owen
The casting alone hints at a show that will balance dry humor, pathos, and sharp chemistry.
Behind the Scenes: Returning to McGee’s Creative Roots
Lisa McGee has reunited much of her Derry Girls team for this new project, ensuring that her distinctive tone — witty, irreverent, and heartfelt — carries over into this new story.
Creative Team:
- Creator / Writer / Executive Producer: Lisa McGee
- Executive Producers: Caroline Leddy, Michael Lennox, Liz Lewin, Jimmy Mulville, Jessica Sharkey
- Producers: Brian J. Falconer (The Dig)
- Directors: Michael Lennox (Derry Girls), George Kane (Timewasters), Rachna Suri (Ackley Bridge)
- Music: Sion Terfor
- Cinematographers: Ashley Barron, Nathalie Pitters, Daniel Stafford-Clark
This creative lineup blends established comedy veterans with cinematic stylists, giving How to Get to Heaven from Belfast a distinctly elevated visual tone for a comedy-drama.
Filming and Production Timeline
Production began in July 2024 in Northern Ireland, with shoots taking place across Belfast, County Down, and the Causeway Coast. The series wrapped by October 2024, with post-production and scoring continuing through early 2025.
The original plan was for a Fall 2025 release, but Netflix officially shifted the launch window to February 2026, aligning it with the platform’s early-year prestige rollout — similar to how Sex Education and The Diplomat premiered in prior years.
Why It Matters?
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast arrives as a symbolic evolution of McGee’s storytelling. While Derry Girls captured the exuberance of youth during the Troubles, this series shifts to the messy, reflective stage of adulthood.
It’s about how women change — and how their friendships survive those changes. With Netflix’s global reach, the show also brings Irish humor and emotional storytelling to millions of new viewers worldwide.
Media critic Fiona Byrne calls it “a female-led odyssey that redefines Irish television — deeply funny yet profoundly honest.”
Film scholar Aidan Quinn adds that “McGee’s dialogue still crackles with local truth, but the show’s mystery undertones give it a global, cinematic edge.”
Conclusion
Lisa McGee’s How to Get to Heaven from Belfast looks set to become Netflix’s next major British-Irish success story. With its blend of friendship, loss, and wry humor, the show promises both laughter and poignancy — all wrapped in McGee’s signature storytelling style.
As the creator herself puts it, “It’s an Irish odyssey — wild, weird, and full of heart.”
Mark your calendars for February 2026 — Heaven is coming to Netflix.
FAQs
The eight-episode series premieres globally on Netflix in February 2026. The exact release date is expected to be announced in January.
Roísín Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, and Caoilfhionn Dunne headline as the three leads — Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara.
While not a direct spinoff, it reunites the Derry Girls creative team and shares a similar tone — blending heartfelt humor with emotional realism.
Filming took place across Northern Ireland, including Belfast and the surrounding countryside.
A dark comedy-mystery with dramatic undertones — combining the laughs of Derry Girls with the intrigue of Broadchurch.
