If you’re a fan of Derry Girls, you’ll be well acquainted with the talent that is Lisa McGee. 

The playwright and screenwriter – whose most recent works include Channel 5’s The Deceived and the upcoming third and final season of Derry Girls – has made a name for herself thanks to her intelligent comedy and flawed but well-rounded characters.  

As such, we’re always excited to hear McGee’s name attached to another series – so when we heard she was writing a new role for fellow Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica Jackson in a new BBC project, it’s safe to say we were very intrigued.

Skint – the first part of which airs tonight at 10pm on BBC Four – is a collection of 15-minute monologues which showcase eight writers’ lived experiences of poverty.

Described as “darkly comic, poignant and sometimes devastating,” the monologues which make up the series offer a variety of perspectives, from a woman who finds herself temporarily homeless with her baby boy to a care-leaver who is trying to sum up the courage to sing about her experiences.

The monologue written by McGee follows the story of a young waiter (played by Jackson) whose shift takes a dark turn when a rude customer makes herself known.      

Indeed, as the synopsis reads: “Set in Northern Ireland, and starring Saoirse-Monica Jackson, writer Lisa McGee’s tensely comedic monologue asks us to confront prejudice and a lack of empathy, instead recognising a shared humanity no matter what our life experiences.”

Tonight’s instalment of Skint will feature four of the series’ eight monologues – one of which being McGee’s, and the other three written by Byron Vincent, Kerry Hudson and Gabriel Gbadamosi.

While Skint will likely differ tonally from the outlandish adventures that take place in Derry Girls, we can’t wait to soak up more of McGee’s writing. Will you be watching?

The first part of Skint airs tonight on BBC Four at 10pm 

Images: BBC