Actress Jamie Lee O’Donnell has revealed she went no contact with her entire family after therapy as she opened up about major life changes on the Dish from Waitrose podcast.
The Derry Girls star joined Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett OBE for a candid conversation covering her move to Barcelona, discovering a gluten intolerance, struggles with eating, and her latest acting projects.
Jamie said therapy marked a turning point before she decided to leave Northern Ireland behind and begin a new chapter in Spain.
She explained: “I did therapy, which was pretty intense and really tough, to be honest. And then I got like to the end of it. I completed it. Cured, guys.
“All the healing’s done. But then it was like, right, now time to sort of have a good big start for myself. So, I just sold my house and just went, mm, Barcelona.”
Jamie has now lived in Barcelona for just over a year and said the move has worked out well after trusting her instincts.
She also spoke openly about making the difficult decision to cut contact with her family during therapy.
“I had to go no contact with my entire family. But it’s just one of those things. And the more I’ve talked about it and been honest about it, I’m seeing it’s, unfortunately, not the most unusual thing for adults,” she said.
The actress also revealed she only discovered she had a gluten intolerance after suffering painful bloating while filming.
Jamie explained her costumes would fit in the morning but not after lunch, before eventually removing gluten from her diet.
“Eventually I stopped, and it’s like I shrank,” she revealed. “My friend seen me after like a week and a half, and she’s like, ‘You look like you’ve lost about 2 stone.’”
Reflecting on her younger years, Jamie also discussed having what she described as “some weird eating stuff” growing up, saying her appetite disappeared whenever her mental health suffered.
Away from acting, Jamie laughed about her attempt to invest in a corner shop before landing Derry Girls, revealing she worked open to close shifts herself but the business ultimately did not succeed.
She said she does not see it as a failure, adding it was simply something that “didn’t quite work out.”
Jamie also shared details about filming her new movie Girl Group, directed, written by and starring Rebel Wilson, alongside a cast including Nicole Scherzinger, Shaznay Lewis, Ashley Roberts, Mel C and Jennifer Coolidge.
Looking back on Derry Girls, Jamie said she remains proud of Michelle, calling the comedy a universal show that continues to connect with audiences of all ages.
She added: “I don’t think anything will quite beat Michelle. And I don’t mind that.”
