Award winning comedy The Dry begins filming its final instalment for RTÉ and ITVX

RTÉ and ITV have today announced that filming is underway in Dublin on the third and final series of Element Pictures’ award-winning 8×30’ comedy drama The Dry, created by BAFTA-nominated playwright Nancy Harris (Dates) and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Paddy Breathnach (Viva, Rosie).

BAFTA and IFTA nominee Róisín Gallagher (The Lovers, Mandrake) reprises her role as recovering alcoholic Shiv Sheridan. Last seen holding the seams of her dysfunctional family together and leaving her ex-boyfriend to board a plane to Melbourne by himself, Shiv now meets Daryl, a handsome and mysterious Australian stranger (Rick Donald – Population 11, Wentworth), who seemingly develops a fixation with her, turning up out of the blue at a recovery meeting.

Series 3 also sees original cast return including IFTA nominee Siobhán Cullen (Obituary, Bodkin) as Caroline, Adam Richardson (The Vanishing Triangle, Intruder) as Ant, Oscar nominee Ciarán Hinds (Belfast, The Narrow Road to The Deep North) as Tom, Pom Boyd (Bodkin, Frank of Ireland) as Bernie, Moe Dunford (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Vikings) as Jack and Eoin Duffy (The Apprentice, The Tourist) as Rory.

As we raise a toast (via sparkling water) to the final sip of the soulfully sharp, critically-acclaimed comedy The Dry, the Sheridans are about to face their biggest challenge yet; a longheld family secret that throws everyone off kilter. The family desperately try to forge new lives amidst the betrayals of the past but destructive patterns start to emerge. Soon it’s Shiv, who might not want to face some hard truths, realising there’s only so long she can blame her family, the bad men in her life and even the drink: what if the real problem is just…herself?

With The Dry ordering its last round, expect old wounds, new truths, and a fond farewell to one of television’s driest and most thoughtfully crafted series.

Writer Nancy Harris says, “It has been a true joy to see audiences embrace the Sheridan family in all their dysfunctional glory and I am so grateful to have gotten to tell this story over three seasons. The third and final season aims to go deeper than ever before, really getting under the skin of Shiv and the family in a way that we hope is both surprising, funny and (painfully) honest.”

Dermot Horan, Director of Acquisitions & Co-Productions for RTÉ comments, “RTÉ is once again delighted to be working with Element Pictures and ITV on The Dry. The third and final series will invite our viewers into the tumultuous, emotional and unpredictable world of the Sheridan family for one last time. Nancy Harris’ scripts are at times funny and at times tragic and that is why we all feel we can relate to these memorable characters.”

Nana Hughes, Head of Scripted Comedy at ITV said “ITV are absolutely thrilled to be part of the team alongside RTÉ and Element Pictures for the third and final series of The Dry. Nancy Harris’ scripts will make you laugh and may well make you cry….I did both just reading the scripts. Nancy’s award winning writing delivers more of the chaotic mess that is the Sheridan family. I can’t wait to see what Paddy and the cast will bring to the finale of this wonderful show.”

Executive Producer, Emma Norton at Element Pictures added “We’re so thrilled to see this season of The Dry up and shooting. We’ve got an extraordinary cast – with our amazing regulars and some very fun new faces. Nancy Harris and Paddy Breahthnach are pulling out all the stops this season and we can’t wait for audiences to enjoy this final chapter of the Sheridan family story.”

Kate McColgan, Head of Television Screen Ireland says: “Screen Ireland is delighted to support Element Picture’s new season of The Dry in association with ITVX and RTÉ. Nancy Harris’s work represents the very best of Irish screen writing; it is beautifully observed with a real emotion integrity and is of course very funny. We congratulate Element Pictures for bringing together such an impressive ensemble of Irish creative talent both in front of and behind the camera.”

Produced by Element Pictures for RTÉ and ITVX in association with Fís Eireann/Screen Ireland and ITV Studios, The Dry is executive produced by Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, a Fremantle company (Poor Things, Normal People), alongside Nancy Harris and Paddy Breathnach. ITV Studios is handling global distribution.