Star power Derry Girls premiere: All the pictures as cast arrive for screening of third series

The Derry Girls are back together in the city itself for the premiere of the show’s third and final series.

The show’s cast and crew have arrived at the red-carpet in the city as the screening kicked off at 6.30 and those lucky enough to attend got their first glimpse at the highly anticipated new series. 

The Channel 4 comedy, which first aired in January 2018, has been a smash hit with viewers and has catapulted the city firmly into the spotlight, with a special showing of the first episode of the new series taking place this evening.

The star-studded event on Thursday is taking place at the Omniplex cinema on Strand Road in the city centre.

An after-party is also set to take place for the cast and crew and other invited guests at the city’s Guildhall.

Fans have already been pictured on social media beginning to arrive for the landmark occasion, with the city’s famous Derry Girls mural having also been given an update ahead of the new series.

Some of the show’s more notable fans have also been pictured at the red-carpet event, including Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, DUP MP Gregory Campbell and the city’s mayor Graham Warke.

The mural, which was created by Derry-based artists from UV Arts, was first unveiled back in 2019 on the side of Badgers Bar on Orchard Street.

It shows the main characters Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle and James in their school uniforms.

Michelle, however, has been given an update in the latest addition to the mural.

Originally, she was holding up two fingers in the peace sign but is now seen holding up three to signify the third series.

Earlier this week, the characters graced the cover of a special edition copy of 1990s teen magazine Smash Hits.

To celebrate the hugely anticipated return of Derry Girls, 4creative has collaborated with Bauer Media Group to produce a colourful, 28-page magazine inspired by 1990s nostalgia and ‘last-day-of-school-chaos’.

More than 150,000 copies will be handed out across the UK and Ireland as well as included with this week’s issues of Heat and Closer.

The first episode of the third and final series of the comedy will air next Tuesday, April 12.

In series three, viewers will see that although there is hope in the air that the Troubles may finally be over, the group’s troubles are only just beginning as they get closer to adulthood.

The show stars Nicola Coughlan, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell and Dylan Llewellyn, who all return for the final instalment.