Derry Girls spoilers follow.
Derry Girls finally gave the fans what they wanted with James confessing his feelings for Erin and the pair sharing a kiss.
But sadly it didn't go to plan with James' cousin Michelle witnessing the moment and banning them from getting together.
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The pair ultimately decided they wouldn't act on their feelings toward each other.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, the show's writer and creator Lisa McGee explained why the moment had to take place.
"I was sort of with the fans that didn't want it [the kiss] because I mean, I always worry that it just gets less interesting the minute it happens," she said.
"Then I kind of started thinking 'is there a way I could have my cake and eat it?' So we just had Michelle call time on it immediately. So it never develops beyond that at this point.
"It might in the future, but I just started thinking it would be quite nice if we saw their first kiss because this is the last series."
The pair first had an inkling of romance in the previous series when James saved the day by taking Erin to the prom.
"I always knew James liked her, because I always thought 'there's another reason he's putting up with all this stuff!'" McGee added.
"I didn't think he even realised, he knew deep down there was something but he didn't really realise how strongly he felt until he had his 'near-death experience' and it all puts the pieces into place for him.
"Mainly I just thought it would be fun to try it, and it was always on my mind since even creating the characters that could happen with the two of them."
She continued: "It developed into a friendship rather than a romance once the actors were cast, because the intention was this was going to be a romance.
"Then once the five of them are cast, their chemistry just started working slightly differently, they're so convincing as friends, and then I started thinking it's really interesting to see a boy being friends with girls, and that being the story.
"I hadn't really seen much of that. I wanted to just let that sit for a while as well and I really loved James just being part of the gang.
"Then I started thinking if we kicked off that romance too early, the show will become about that rather than the friends going through these times together, and this political backdrop. So I changed my mind."
She added: "Having watched all the teen shows when I was a teenager, that stuff didn't happen.
"It was mostly just running around and getting into trouble with your friends – none of these great epic romances that every teen show convinced you you should have been having. I wanted something that was truthful to the teenage experience, and most of it is just embarrassing and not very exciting."
Derry Girls airs on Tuesday nights at 9.15pm on Channel 4.
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Catherine is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, and was the site's News Editor between 2018 and 2024. Prior to that, she worked at OK! Online, and has interviewed a slew of celebrities across her career in entertainment news, including Tom Hanks, Cheryl and Noel Fielding. Catherine also has specialist knowledge in all things drag, interviewing a huge portion of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars, and getting her own drag makeover for Channel 4's show Drag SOS. LinkedIn
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