Channel 4
Channel 4

Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan said she’ll miss her queer character ahead of the series’ final season.

Since its debut in 2018, the Channel 4 series has captivated audiences with its hilarious storylines and wholesome cast.

One of the characters that has particularly stood out to fans is Coughlan’s Clare Devlin – who came out as a lesbian during the first season.

With the last season around the corner, the Bridgerton actress and her co-star Jamie Lee O’Donnell dished about the series with Newsletter.

“It’s a weird thing, grief, saying goodbye to a character. It’s a really strange thing that’s very hard to explain to people,” she explained. “I mean, Clare Devlin is a mess, but I love her, and I will miss her very much.”

O’Donnell, who plays Michelle Mallon, expressed similar sentiments, stating: “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to say goodbye in my head fully.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Coughlan revealed that she was fearful of not being able to film the final season due to her Bridgerton obligations.

“I was so worried I wasn’t gonna be able to film Derry Girls and everyone would hate me,” she said.

“We did a night shoot on the Thursday for Bridgerton, which wrapped at 5 am on Friday morning. I went home, packed, flew on the Saturday, on the Sunday I had a costume and wig fitting, and then was filming Derry Girls on Monday.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan)

Towards the end of their interview, the two stars touched on the series’ popularity within the US – which Coughlan described as “super crazy.”

O’Donnell said Derry Girls officially made it after The Simpsons referenced the BAFTA-nominated show in a recent episode.

“When Tarantino was in The Simpsons, he said he knew he’d really made it. So we’re up there now – I’m practically Tarantino in my mind,” she told the publication.

Set in 1990s Northern Ireland, Derry Girls follows Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), Orla (Louisa Harland), Clare (Coughlan), Michelle (O’Donnell) and James (Dylan Llewellyn) as they navigate life during the final years of the Troubles.

In a recent press release from Channel 4, the new season is set to follow the lovable characters as they end their secondary school journey and enter adulthood.

“While series one observed the gang navigating their teens in 1990’s Derry against a backdrop of The Troubles, series two charted them navigating their parents, parties, love interests and school against the backdrop of a precarious peace process,” the release said.

“In series three, which is coming soon to Channel 4 and All 4, viewers will see that while Northern Ireland is growing up this gang of eejits certainly aren’t anytime soon – while there’s hope in the air that The Troubles may finally be over their troubles are only just getting started as they get ever closer to ‘adulthood’.”

The final season of Derry Girls is set to premiere on Channel 4 and All4 on 12 April.