Erin Doherty has announced a significant life change following her success in the acclaimed series *Adolescence*. The 33-year-old actress revealed that she has moved in with her girlfriend, Sinead Donnelly, marking what she describes as a “natural” next step in their relationship. This transition comes shortly after Doherty received the award for Best Supporting Actress at the *Critics’ Choice Awards* held on January 14, 2024.
Doherty’s decision to relocate from West Sussex to London is motivated by her desire to spend more time with Donnelly, a 35-year-old NHS radiographer. Speaking about her new living arrangements, Doherty expressed her romantic sentiments, stating, “As much as I loved getting on the trains and going to see her and spend days in London, I also wanted to wake up next to her. I’m such a romantic.”
In August 2023, it was first reported by the *Daily Mail* that Doherty was in a relationship with Donnelly, when she shared a heartfelt image of the couple on social media, captioned: “Take us back to Italy please…” Prior to this, Doherty had ended a long-term relationship with actress Sophie Melville in March 2023, a separation that she described as one of her proudest accomplishments during an interview on Elizabeth Day’s *How To Fail* podcast.
Reflecting on her journey, Doherty shared that her relationship with Melville had transformed her lifestyle. She noted, “She’s made me so healthy. I used to sit at home eating a bag of chocolates, and now we have, like, a kale salad.” The former couple met in 2017 while performing in Alan Ayckbourn’s play *The Divide*.
Doherty also opened up about her personal journey of self-discovery, revealing that it was a “mind-blowing” experience with a woman at the age of 25 that helped her realize her sexuality. She reflected on the time it took her to come to terms with being gay, stating, “I never really was ready to carve out that path for myself, even though, looking back, I always knew that my relationships with men weren’t satisfying in that wholehearted way that I wanted them to be.”
The actress’s candidness about her life changes and her evolving identity resonates with many fans and followers. As she embraces this new chapter, Doherty continues to captivate audiences with her performances, further solidifying her status in the entertainment industry.
