Channel 4 has finally confirmed when the third and final season of Derry Girls will be making its way to our screens – and we don’t have long to wait.

Alongside a new first-look clip of Erin, Michelle and the gang in action, the channel confirmed that the much-loved comedy series will air on Tuesday 12 April.

The news follows the release of the official season three trailer earlier this month – an event that left us all with some seriously mixed feelings. On the one hand, we got a glimpse of all of our favourite characters back in action, from Sister Michael and Father Peter to Jenny and Aunt Sarah. But on the other hand, it means we’re edging closer to saying goodbye to the iconic show forever.

“Remember when you felt unstoppable?” the trailer asks, coaxing us back to the halcyon days of bedroom dance routines, school discos and sleepovers. We see the gang – Erin, Orla, James, Michelle and Clare – preparing to navigate their GCSE’s and leave school. “

You should enjoy the days you have left while you can,” warns Sister Michael ominously.

It’s chaotic and charming and season three promises everything we’ve come to expect: Jenny Joyce in some kind of ill-fated stage performance, Da Gerry under the watchful eye of Granda Joe and Michelle losing it at James for his “oppressive, English breathing”.

Stylist previously shared an exclusive clip that hinted at some of the chaos season 3 will bring, showing the gang appearing to get caught in the act of something…

“Put your hands in the air, slowly turn around and place your palms flat against the wall!” shouts a police officer as helicopters searchlights flash up above.

“This is a set-up!” screams Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), while Clare (Nicola Coughlan) pleads: “You have my full cooperation sir!”.

Back in December, as filming on the final season wrapped, members of the cast also paid tribute to their experiences on set. Posting a polaroid picture of herself and Louisa Harland in character as Clare and Orla alongside two rainbow badges, Coughlan wrote: “Goodbye Derry Girls, it’s been quite a ride.” 

Siobhán McSweeney, who plays the girls’ headteacher Sister Michael, also took to Twitter to mark the occasion, sharing a photo of her character’s veil and a pair of chunky black boots.  

“Goodbye you mad woman,” she wrote alongside the image. “You’ve changed my life. I know you’d hate to hear this, but I love you. #DerryGirls #SrMichaelForever” 

The series’ creator and writer Lisa McGee also joined in, sharing a photo of herself underneath the fictional motto for Our Lady Immaculate College – the school the girls and James attend in the show – and writing: “Last day of school #DerryGirls” 

Set in Northern Ireland in the 90s, the series tells the stories of teens navigating their youth amidst The Troubles and also attending an all-girls Catholic school. Following the lives of Orla, Clare, Michelle and Erin, the show’s creator Lisa McGee has often drawn on her own experiences of growing up in Derry to give the show its no-nonsense humour. 

Keep reading to check out everything we know about the upcoming third season so far. 

Is this really the last series of Derry Girls?

Unfortunately, yes. 

While the nostalgic comedy has gained international popularity after its Netflix release and two Bafta nominations for best-scripted comedy, creator Lisa McGee confirmed that this season will be the third and final one.

She released a statement on the decision stating that “it was always the plan to say goodbye after three series.” 

She went on to to say: “Who knows if Erin, Clare, Orla, Michelle and James will return in some other guise someday, but for now this is it for us and we’re excited to start filming this series with our incredible cast and crew to hopefully take our loyal fans on one last adventure.”

When is the new series being released?

Derry Girls season 3 will hit screens on Tuesday 12 April. 

What’s going to happen in Derry Girls season three?

Like any long-awaited series, the writers and cast have kept relatively silent about the upcoming plotlines. 

Season two ended with all the emotions being cranked up a notch and this new series will surely follow suit. Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, who plays Erin and Orla’s no-nonsense friend Clare, took to Twitter in February to discuss the new series. She wrote: “… the storylines in this series are the best we’ve ever done so I can’t tell you how worth it the wait will have been.”

How else will we get our Derry Girls fix in the future?

While this upcoming series may be the last, Derry Girls fans don’t need to wait long for their next comedic instalment of the franchise. Lisa McGee published a book back in November written from the viewpoint of Erin Quinn.

Titled Erin’s Diary, the book is a hilarious ‘in world’ publication that brings the laugh-out-loud humour of the series onto the page. It will feature Erin’s reflections on everything that has happened so far, a deeper dive into the events we have seen unfold on the screen and bring brand new stories and never-before-revealed details about characters.

Here’s the trailer with Erin herself explaining a little more about the book… 

Image: Channel 4