‘The best-kept secret in Derry’: Derry Girls fans react to ‘absolutely brilliant’ Liam Neeson cameo

‘When you think it’s Ted Hastings but it’s Liam Neeson!’ one fan wrote

Liam Neeson made a surprise appearance on Channel 4’s sitcom Derry Girls on Tuesday (12 April) night.

The show is set in Derry during the Nineties, and follows a group of schoolgirls getting into various antics against the backdrop of the Troubles.

Fans tuning in to watch the first episode of the third and final series spotted the Northern Irish actor playing a police inspector, who questions the girls about a burglary which happened at their school.

Show creator Lisa McGee revealed after the episode aired that they had a code name on set for the star.

In order to keep the secret under wraps, McGee took to calling Neeson the “big fella,” though she admitted on Twitter this secret was “easily cracked”.

Fans still seemed surprised by the cameo, calling it “the best kept secret in Derry”.

“When you think it’s Ted Hastings and then his face comes out of the shadow and it’s LIAM NEESON,” one fan said in response to the scene.

“Absolutely brilliant, well worth the wait. And LIAM NEESON just casually having a cameo like it’s no big deal,” another tweeted.

“Uncle Colm boring *actual Liam Neeson* to death is everything I never knew I needed – god I have missed this show,” another viewer tweeted.

Comedian Michael Fry chimed in to say that, while he was obviously pleased that Neeson was on the show, Uncle Colm was his real hero: “Liam Neeson was a fun addition but when I tell yous I shrieked at Uncle Colm.”

Another tweeted a meme inspired by Taken to draw a parallel between Neeson’s characters and Uncle Colm.

McGee said it was an “honour” to have Neeson on Derry Girls.

“What an honour to have him in our wee show,” she tweeted. “Our very own Northern Star.”

Read The Independent’s review of the first episode of series three here.

Derry Girls can be streamed on All 4.