Funboys

Funboys is a Northern Irish sitcom that first aired on BBC Three as a 14-minute short film on 26 May 2023. A four-episode series followed, premiering on BBC Northern Ireland on 10 February 2025 and on BBC Three three days later. The series follows three emotionally immature young men living in a small Northern Irish town.

The main cast includes Ryan Dylan as Callum, a timid, confused, and fearful young man who shares a close bond with his friends Jordan and Lorcan. Rian Lennon plays Jordan, an emotionally insecure and selfish friend. Lee R. James portrays Lorcan, a kind-hearted and wise character who acts as a mother hen to the group. Ele McKenzie appears as Gemma, the love interest of both Callum and Lorcan, and Owen Colgan plays Frank Lynch.

The short film was shot on location in Northern Ireland. At the BBC Comedy Festival in May 2024, it was announced that the short would be expanded into a four-episode series. The first series aired in 2025, with a second series scheduled for 2026.

Production was supported by Northern Ireland Screen, with the story by Simon Mayhew-Archer. Co-writer and co-creator Ryan Dylan said the show was inspired by "mundanity meeting melodrama," describing three young men navigating life with unfiltered emotion but little understanding. Lee R. James noted the show was inspired by the lack of representation of rural people, saying the small towns he grew up in are "filled with oddities that deserve the spotlight."

In reception, Vicky Jessop of *The Standard* called it a "beautifully bonkers comedy" and a worthy successor to *This Country*, describing it as "heartwarming and naff in equal measure." *The Belfast Telegraph* said it is "not exactly *Derry Girls* but it’s beautifully bonkers" and "quirky and desperately bingeable."