'It's a murder mystery - but funny', says Derry Girls creator on new show

Three friends brought back together when their childhood friend dies isn't the likeliest of starting points for a comedy, but Lisa McGee has form for finding laughter in dark places.

The award winning writer of hit TV show Derry Girls, said her new Netflix offering How to get to Heaven from Belfast, shares the same DNA.

Derry Girls found fun against a backdrop of The Troubles in the 1990s - remember the one where we discovered that Protestants keep their toasters in a cupboard and that Catholics love statues.

In How to get to Heaven from Belfast a trio of friends head home for a funeral and find themselves in the midst of a mystery.

"They go to her wake but all is not what it seems and they get pulled into an eerie, creepy adventure that takes them all over Ireland and beyond," said McGee.

But central to everything is Belfast and a "dark Northern Irish sense of humour".

"Some of the themes are darker and it's definitely bit of a genre switch up."

For those of you wondering what a wake is, it's a tradition across Ireland when a body is brought home, then friends and family gather to talk, reminisce and celebrate the person before they are buried or cremated.

Starring Sinéad Keenan as Robyn, Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara and Róisín Gallagher as Saoirse, McGee said the show is "essentially a murder mystery, but funny, hopefully".

McGee, who drew on personal experiences for Derry Girls, says How to get to Heaven from Belfast reflects on her relationships with friends as well as stealing a a little of her own life.

"We're all at that stage where we're mums, or facing things in our careers, or maybe caring for parents.

"So it was about giving three women at a certain stage in their life a chance to go on one last adventure.

"Saoirse was my way in to the show. I sympathised with her career," McGee said.

"I have two boys, Robyn has three, I loved the chance to write about some of the stresses and frustrations of being a mum.

"I like to keep the peace and Dara's a character who likes everyone to get along."

And how do you follow up a massive worldwide hit like Derry Girls?

"People here really tell you what they think, I've heard it all by this stage, if they're not happy they'll let me know.

"I want to do people proud and do a real truthful representation.

"I think all you can do is be proud of it yourself and make the show you set out to make and I think we've all done that. This is definitely the vision we had.

"I'm always so nervous before something goes out but the most nervous I've ever been in my life was before the last episode of Derry Girls, the one about the Good Friday Agreement. I feel that nothing could compare to that.

"I love it and I hope other people do."

"How to get to Heaven from Belfast" will stream on Netflix from 12 February.