If you could do with a bit of a laugh right now, ITV’s award-worthy Irish drama The Dry is about as good as comedy shows get - and the good news is that filming is currently underway on a "painfully honest" finale series. If you’re not familiar with it, the immaculately plotted comedy revolves around Shiv Sheridan (Róisín Gallagher), a recovering alcoholic who returns to Dublin for a fresh start, which isn’t exactly easy with her dysfunctional family around. Think of it like Fleabag but funnier.
Series 3 will see the return of Shiv, as well as a handsome Australian man who appears to develop somewhat of a fixation with her. That’s the least of her worries, however, as she must also face old wounds, hard truths and a huge family secret that changes everything. Buckle up because, from the sounds of it, we’re in for quite a ride!
While we await the arrival of The Dry series 3 on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the new series, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Dry about?
The BAFTA-nominated comedy, which premiered as a BritBox original in 2022, follows Shiv Sheridan (Róisín Gallagher), a recovering alcoholic who returns to Dublin after 10 years of partying in London. She’s now sober, but being back with her family means staying that way is harder than she expected. In series 2, which aired in March last year, we saw Shiv continuing to try and hold the seams of her dysfunctional family together, and the finale episode saw her ex-boyfriend board a plane to Melbourne by himself.
What will happen in The Dry series 3?
The new eight-part series will see Róisín Gallagher reprise her role as Shiv and this time round, she meets Daryl (played by Rick Donald), a handsome and mysterious Australian stranger, who seemingly develops a fixation with her, turning up out of the blue at a recovery meeting.
According to ITV, series 3 also 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 Sheridan’s broken puzzle?” reads the official synopsis.
It continues: “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.”
Over the course of the series, Shiv realises that 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?
Writer Nancy Harris says of the series: “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.”
Nana Hughes, Head of Scripted Comedy at ITV has said the new 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.”
Who’s starring in The Dry series 3?
The cast of The Dry series 3 includes:
- Róisín Gallagher (The Lovers) as Shiv
- Rick Donald (Wentworth) as Daryl
- Siobhán Cullen (The Inside, Bodkin) as Caroline
- Adam John Richardson (The Vanishing Triangle, Intruder) as Ant
- Ciarán Hinds (Belfast) as Tom
- Pom Boyd (Bodkin, Frank of Ireland) as Bernie
- Moe Dunford (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Vikings) as Jack
- Eoin Duffy (The Apprentice, The Tourist) as Rory
We’re expecting some faces to join the cast, too, but ITV are yet to confirm them. Watch this space for news as we have it!
Is The Dry any good?
Yes – it’s a bit like an Irish Fleabag, with a central flawed character navigating a series of challenging situations in hilarious fashion. Writer Nancy Harris received a BAFTA nomination in 2023 and, personally, we think she should have won because the writing is, quite honestly, genius!
How can I watch The Dry?
ITV hasn’t yet shared a release date for The Dry series 3, but we do know that it will be available to watch exclusively on ITVX when it does arrive. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we’ll update you here.
What other great comedy series can I watch right now?
You can check out our pick of the best sitcoms you can watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more here.
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