Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Derry Girls finale ends with shock celebrity cameo

*Spoilers for the ‘Derry Girls’ finale below*

Ellie Muir
Wednesday 18 May 2022 22:00 BST
Comments
Liam Neeson makes cameo in Derry Girls season 3 opening episode

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Derry Girls’ final ever episode ended with an unexpected cameo.

The Channel 4 comedy came to an end on Tuesday (17 May), with an extended episode set one year after the penultimate instalment.

*Spoilers for the Derry Girls finale below*

The episodes takes place in the days leading up to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement referendum in Northern Ireland, which takes place in the same week as Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) and Orla’s (Louisa Clare Harland) 18th birthday party.

The episode concludes at the polling station, before fast forwarding to present-day New York. A blonde woman opens the door to a postman delivering a letter from over 20 years ago, when it is revealed that the woman is Chelsea Clinton.

The letter, which has been lost in the post for two decades, invites her to hang out with the girls when she next comes to Derry and signed off with the words: “We think your hair is absolutely cracker”.

The teenagers wrote the letter to Chelsea in the series two finale “The President”, set around Bill Clinton’s visit to Derry.

Derry Girls Episode 7 is based around the 1998 Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement referendum
Derry Girls Episode 7 is based around the 1998 Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement referendum (Channel 4)

The show’s creator and executive producer Lisa McGee wrote a similar letter to Chelsea when she was a teenager asking her to come to the cinema with her.

Speaking at a Channel 4 preview, McGee said that she originally wrote the cameo into the script to amuse herself.

“The more we talked about it – me and Mike [Lennox], the director – I was like, ‘F*** it, let’s try,” she said.”

“It was a manager in America who used to work for the Clintons. And she acted as this middle woman for us. Then she rang me one night and was just like, ‘Chelsea is in’. And I was like, ‘Oh my god!’”

Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free
Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

McGee also said that there were lots of cameo ideas, including Jamie Dornan, that hadn’t worked due to scheduling.

The final series of the show has included surprise appearances Liam Neeson, who played a police officer in the first episode and re-appeared in the finale, and Fatboy Slim, who played at Derry’s Halloween festival in episode six.

Liam Neeson made an appearance in Episode 1 Season 3, playing Chief Constable Byers, and reappeared at the end of the bonus episode as Byers votes in the referendum.

Derry Girls is available to stream on All4.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in