Netflix Orders Derry Girls Creator Lisa McGee's Irish Dancing Mockumentary 'Jig' for Northern Ireland Shoot

Lisa McGee is heading back to Derry. The creator and writer behind Netflix's beloved Derry Girls has a new six-part mockumentary comedy series in pre-production for the streamer, and for crews based in Northern Ireland, this is one worth circling early. Titled Jig, the series follows best friends Cara and Fletcher from the perpetually underfunded Sweeney School of Dance as they travel from Derry to compete against their polished, sponsored Florida rivals for the World Irish Dancing Championships. With a 2027 production start set in Northern Ireland and the full weight of a Netflix commission behind it, this is shaping up to be one of the more significant local productions of that year.

McGee has carved out a singular lane in British comedy, and her track record with this subject matter is hard to overstate. Derry Girls, which ran for three series on Channel 4 before finding a massive second life on Netflix, became one of the most celebrated British comedies of its era, earning McGee a BAFTA and a devoted global audience drawn to her ability to mine genuine heart from chaotic ensemble dynamics. Her follow-up, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, continued her relationship with Netflix and demonstrated that the streamer's confidence in her voice extends well beyond a single franchise. Jig marks her third project with Netflix, and the mockumentary format feels like a natural fit for the kind of deadpan, warmly observed comedy she writes best. Think the ensemble absurdity of Derry Girls channeled through the competitive-sport mockumentary tradition of Best in Show or Detectorists, set against the very specific world of competitive Irish dancing.

Returning alongside McGee is a producing team that will be familiar to anyone who worked on Derry Girls. Caroline Leddy and Liz Lewin both executive produce, continuing a collaboration that has followed McGee across multiple projects and signals a set culture that rewards longstanding relationships and a clear creative vision. Joining them is Suzanne Mackie, the executive producer behind multiple series of The Crown and the founder of Orchid Pictures, the London-based production company through which Jig is being produced. Mackie brings considerable high-end television experience to the table, and her company's exclusive deal with Netflix means this production has a direct, established pipeline to the streamer with all the infrastructure that implies.

Orchid Pictures is a relatively young company but one that arrived with serious pedigree. Founded by Mackie after her long tenure at Left Bank Pictures, where she shepherded The Crown from a theatrical production into one of the most expensive television series ever made, Orchid launched with the explicit backing of Netflix and a mandate to produce premium content. Jig will sit comfortably within that mandate: a high-profile comedy commission from one of the UK's most recognizable writers, produced under an exclusive deal with the world's largest streaming platform. For crew, that combination of Netflix money and a strong production company typically signals a well-resourced shoot with a clear creative direction and professional production management.

Filming is set to take place in Northern Ireland, with a production start currently targeted for January 2027. The Derry setting is almost certainly not incidental. McGee knows that city and its rhythms intimately from the Derry Girls years, and productions that return to familiar territory often bring institutional knowledge about locations, facilities, and local talent that benefits the entire crew. Northern Ireland Screen has built a strong infrastructure in the region over the past decade and a half, driven in large part by Game of Thrones and the major productions that followed. Belfast's studio facilities, including the Titanic Studios complex, are well established, and the province offers a competitive tax incentive through Northern Ireland Screen that consistently draws both UK and international productions. The local crew base is experienced and deep, particularly in departments that have been exercised by large-scale genre productions, and a comedy series of this scale should have little difficulty sourcing strong local talent across most departments. That said, given Orchid Pictures operates out of London and the producing team has roots in the broader UK industry, some senior department head positions may be filled from outside the region.

As a six-part mockumentary series, Jig will require a crew configuration tuned for that specific format. Mockumentary production brings its own rhythm and technical demands: handheld or quasi-documentary camera work, a nimble sound department comfortable with the format's improvisational texture, and an art department that can build environments that feel lived-in and unglamorous in exactly the right way. The dance competition setting will add its own layer of complexity, likely requiring a choreographer with competitive Irish dancing credentials, a costume department comfortable dressing both the scrappy Derry school and its polished Florida counterparts, and location work that can convincingly capture both worlds. If any sequences are planned to reflect actual championship environments, a strong locations department will be essential from early in the prep process.

With a January 2027 production start, there is meaningful time before broader crew hiring begins in earnest, but pre-production on a six-part series of this profile moves quickly once momentum builds. Department heads and senior crew in Northern Ireland and across the wider UK should be tracking this one now. Full production details, confirmed crew contacts, and office information are available and updated regularly in the Jig listing on ProductionList.com. Bookmark it, check back as the production advances through pre-production, and make sure the right people know you are available when staffing accelerates.

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