'Coming out of panic mode took a long time'

Derry Girls star Jamie-Lee O'Donnell talks mental health, losing touch, new projects and potential reunions

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When it comes to iconic Irish characters, Derry Girls' Michelle definitely makes the cut. The sweary, sex-mad schoolgirl and her tight-knit friendship group captured our hearts, as they navigated teenage life during the Troubles. However, three years since the sitcom ended, star Jamie-Lee O'Donnell has revealed that she's lost touch with most of her costars.

"I had a couple of years of laying low by myself in Ireland. I was going through a lot of mental health stuff and had to figure a few things out," she tells new. "I had to take some downtime and started therapy, so I didn't see anybody for such a long time. Also everybody lives in London – and I left there over 10 years ago."

Jamie-Lee is still close with Saoirse-Monica Jackson who played Erin and was a bridesmaid at her wedding to DJ Denis Sulta back in August. But she's lost touch with Nicola Coughlan, Louisa Harland, Dylan Llewellyn and the other stars.

"I don't see a lot of people – I've got a small group that I see and have been taking a wee bit of time off from the industry," she explains.

But now, the 38-year-old is back on our screens in new BBC comedy-drama Leonard And Hungry Paul, based on Rónán Hession's novel of the same name.

Despite landing her big break with Derry Girls, which first aired in 2018, Jamie-Lee admits that she's only just beginning to relax after years of auditioning and jobs in coffee shops.