RTÉ & ITV commission third and final series of BAFTA-Nominated Comedy The Dry
Over 1.2 Million tuning in to watch the popular series on RTÉ Player
RTÉ, in partnership with ITV has today announced the commission of a third and final season of the critically acclaimed comedy-drama The Dry for RTÉ and ITVX, which will be produced by Element Pictures, in association with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and ITV Studios.
The first two series have been streamed over 1.2 million times since its launch on RTÉ Player.
Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Nancy Harris (Dates) and director Paddy Breathnach (Viva, Rosie) once again return for the new series which will stream on RTÉ in 2026. Roisin Gallagher will return as recovering alcoholic Shiv Sheridan, alongside regular cast members from the series. Further casting details will be confirmed in due course.
The Sheridans are back and they’re about to face their biggest challenge yet. Series 3 unearths a huge family secret that throws everyone off kilter. Will this shocking revelation upend already fragile relations for good, or could this be the missing piece that will finally fix the Sheridans’ broken puzzle?
Amongst all this emotional upheaval, the Sheridan’s must face the fact that change is inevitable. As the family desperately try to forge new lives amidst the betrayals of the past, destructive patterns start to emerge, and soon it’s Shiv who might not want to face some hard truths. As the family gathers for the series finale, Shiv realises there’s only so long she can blame her family, her bad ex and even the drink: what if the real problem in Shiv’s life is just…herself?
Dermot Horan, Director of Acquisitions & Co-Productions for RTÉ said: “The first two seasons of The Dry were hugely popular with our audiences. Nancy Harris has created in the Sheridan’s that most recognisable and dysfunctional of Irish families, to which we can all relate through their ups and downs. Paddy Breathnach will once again get the very best of the outstanding ensemble cast led by Roisin Gallagher as Shiv. RTÉ is once again delighted to be working with Element Pictures, ITVX and Screen Ireland on this highly popular award-winning series who are bringing this very local Irish story to UK and global audiences. The Dry has reached over 1.2 million streams on RTÉ Player to date, which demonstrates the huge demand for local Irish drama.”
Nana Hughes, Head of Scripted Comedy at ITV said: “I’m so excited to be returning for a third series of The Dry with the excellent Element Pictures, Nancy, Paddy and the brilliant cast. It’s such a special show and we look forward to bringing more of the Sheridan family to screens later in the year on ITVX”.
Writer Nancy Harris says “I am truly thrilled The Dry is coming back for another round with Shiv and the Sheridan family. It’s been a joy to work with Paddy Breathnach, Emma Norton and this truly gifted ensemble cast to tell this story. Season 3 digs into the roots of the Sheridans dysfunctional dynamic, unearthing long held secrets and taking our characters in new and unexpected directions. It’s going to be a wild ride and we can’t wait to share it with our audience.”
Executive Producer, Emma Norton at Element Pictures added: “The Dry team are all so excited to be able to give the Sheridan’s their grand finale. This season is going to be full of the show’s signature irreverence and pathos and we’re thrilled to be bringing our brilliant cast back together for one last blow out.”
ENDS
Date: Wednesday, 8 January 2025
Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe will serve as executive producers for Element Pictures, alongside Nancy Harris and Paddy Breathnach. ITV Studios is handling global distribution for The Dry.
RTÉ Communications: Maureen Catterson