Derry Girls star to lead BBC’s new Northern Ireland sitcom with ‘ingredients to be properly special’

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Fans who loved Derry Girls might enjoy a new comedy set in Northern Ireland. The show features Jamie-Lee O’Donnell – known for her role as the bold Michelle in Lisa McGee’s popular series – and follows the quirky team who work at a beautiful, historic house in the Northern Irish countryside.

The series, currently called Hopley Hall, created by Daniel Peak, centers around the historic house of the same name. It follows the staff and volunteers who work to maintain it. According to the show’s description, this diverse group – ranging from passionate enthusiasts to, well, a bit of everything – are deeply invested in Hopley Hall, which is currently home to only one resident: the elderly, confused, and distinctly British Lady Hopley.

The six-episode series is set to air on BBC One and iPlayer at a later date.

O’Donnell expressed excitement about being involved in Daniel Peak’s upcoming BBC comedy series, saying they can’t wait to start working on this fun project. They shared this in a statement and mentioned they’ll be at Hopley Hall soon.

Daniel Peak, the creator and writer, expressed his excitement and gratitude for the chance to create a heartwarming ensemble sitcom for the BBC. He’s thrilled to be working with a talented team in Northern Ireland and some of the UK’s best comedic actors, and can’t wait for audiences to finally see what happens at Hopley Hall.

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Hopley Hall is a collaboration between Nice One and Birdie Pictures. Chris Jones and Phil Temple, who served as executive producers, praised the writing as brilliant.

We’re thrilled to be creating a sitcom for the BBC – it’s always been a dream of ours! We’re excited to join the network’s incredible history of classic comedies and introduce viewers to the unique and dedicated team at Hopley Hall. This wouldn’t be possible without the brilliant writing of Daniel Peak, the fantastic direction of Tom Marshall, and the support of the BBC comedy team.

We’re thrilled to showcase the incredibly funny comedy writers and performers from Northern Ireland, feeling like pioneers exploring a new frontier – just like the Artemis astronauts on the far side of the moon.

As a big fan of BBC comedy, I’m so excited to hear that Jon Petrie, the Director of Comedy, is promising the new series will be full of laughs, heartwarming moments, and a whole lot of hilarious chaos! Sounds perfect to me.

According to Petrie, the new show Hopley Hall has everything needed to be truly great, thanks to Jamie-Lee O’Donnell’s fantastic comedic performance, clever writing by Daniel Peak and a team of exciting new Northern Irish writers, and direction by Tom Marshall.

“Expect laughs, warmth, wit and a lot of chaos. We can’t wait for BBC viewers to see it.”

Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland, also commended Jamie-Lee O’Donnell’s comedic skills. He said they were incredibly lucky to have such a talented performer bring the character of Daniel to life, and that the show is a fantastic addition to the BBC’s comedy lineup, showcasing the work of local writers.

Next up, O’Donnell will appear in the upcoming comedy Girl Group, which features a big ensemble cast including Rebel Wilson, Jennifer Coolidge (from The White Lotus), Nicole Scherzinger, Randall Park, and Sheridan Smith. Wilson also wrote and directed the film.

Hopley Hall (w/t) is airing on BBC One, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer at a later date.

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2026-05-13 23:49