For more than a decade, Mrs Brown’s Boys has been one of the BBC’s most recognisable festive traditions.
But this Christmas, the laughter was drowned out by anger — and the man behind the madness is finally speaking out.
Brendan O’Carroll, the 70-year-old creator and star of the controversial sitcom, has made an emotional appeal to BBC bosses after fans blasted the show for “ruining the Christmas TV schedule” and demanded it be scrapped for good.
A Christmas That Turned Sour
When the BBC revealed its festive line-up, fury erupted online.
Viewers accused the corporation of ignoring heartfelt dramas in favour of what they branded “tired, noisy nonsense”, with Mrs Brown’s Boys singled out as the ultimate offender.
“Please don’t ruin Christmas with Mrs Brown’s Boys,” one furious fan wrote.
Another added: “Genuinely not one thing stands out. What a letdown.”
The backlash was so intense that even Brendan admits he felt the shift.
“I’d Love To Bring Her Back”
Speaking candidly, the comedian revealed he is desperate to revive his axed talk show All Round To Mrs Brown’s, which was shelved during the pandemic.
The series saw Brendan step back into Agnes Brown’s famous slippers to interview huge stars — from Pamela Anderson to Mel B — and, he says, gave him a freedom he rarely experiences now.
“I could write whatever I wanted,” he confessed. “No forced Christmas trees. No formula. Just comedy.”
And in a story that perfectly sums up the chaos of the show, Brendan recalled nervously asking Caitlyn Jenner where the “line” was — only to be told there wasn’t one.
“That was like waving a red rag at a bull,” he laughed.
Some critics claimed Mrs Brown’s Boys inclusion in the festive TV schedule had ‘ruined Christmas’
Irish broadcaster RTE has decided to abandon its usual Christmas Eve live broadcast – which Brendan usually hosts alongside Joe Duffy
A Show On The Brink?
When asked about the future of Mrs Brown’s Boys itself, Brendan admitted he hasn’t even been approached yet.
“They haven’t asked,” he said. “But if they do, I’ll certainly think about it.”
It’s a telling remark from a man whose creation once dominated Christmas night.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s RTE has quietly dropped its traditional Christmas Eve live broadcast — another blow for Brendan, who used to host the programme.
“I’m sad for people who won’t get to hear a little bit of home this year,” he said, revealing listeners once tuned in from Australia, New Zealand and even Argentina.
The Show That Beat Mrs Brown’s Boys
As anger grew, viewers pointed to the emotional Christmas special of Beyond Paradise — a dementia-themed episode that left many “crying their eyes out” — and asked why that wasn’t the centrepiece of Christmas TV.
One viewer summed it up perfectly:
“This is how you do a Christmas episode — heart, humour, emotion. Not shouting and slapstick.”
The Final Question
With two more specials still scheduled — one on Christmas Day and another on New Year’s Day — the fate of Mrs Brown’s Boys now hangs in the balance.
Is this just another storm that will pass…
or the beginning of the end for one of Britain’s most divisive festive traditions?
For Brendan O’Carroll, it may be the Christmas that decides everything.