SO HEARTBREAKING Brendan O’Carroll has made a desperate plea to BBC bosses after Mrs Brown’s Boys was slammed for “ruining the Christmas TV schedule.”
The creator of Mrs Brown’s Boys has made a desperate plea to the BBC after the controversial show was blasted by TV fans for ‘ruining the Christmas TV schedule’.
Brendan O’Carroll, 70, who is best known for playing the comedic Irish matriarch, said that he would love to bring back his axed talk show, All Round To Mrs Brown’s.
It saw the comedian step into Agnes Brown’s shoes and interview a number of big-name celebs including Baywatch’s Pamela Anderson and Spice Girl Mel B.
Brendan said that he would ‘love’ to bring the talk show back after it was axed during the Covid pandemic because it gave him so much creative freedom.
He said: ‘I remember when we had Caitlyn Jenner on and I went up to the dressing room and I said to her, “Where’s the line? I don’t want to cross the line.”
‘She said, “No line”. And I said, “Really?”. That was a red rag to a bull.’
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Brendan O’Carroll, 70, who is best known for playing the comedic Irish matriarch, said that he would love to bring back his axed talk show, All Round To Mrs Brown’s
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Brendan said that he would ‘love’ to bring the talk show back after it was axed during the Covid pandemic because it gave him so much creative freedom
What followed was a controversial question about the former Olympian’s anatomy.
Brendan remembered: ‘She said “I beg your pardon?”. And it went great. She was absolutely magnificent.’
Speaking about the future of the series itself, the comedian said: ‘They haven’t asked yet, but if they do, I’ll certainly think about it.
‘The last one went really well.
‘I found it so freeing to write a mini-series because I didn’t have to do a Christmas tree.
‘I could write whatever I wanted.’
Meanwhile Irish broadcaster RTE has decided to abandon its usual Christmas Eve live broadcast – which Brendan usually hosts alongside Joe Duffy, although Joe has since been replaced by Kieran Cuddihy.
Brendan said of the decision: ‘It’s certainly not a decision I would make. I really am surprised RTE aren’t doing the show on Grafton Street this year.
‘It would have been the declaration of the definitive handing over from Joe Duffy to Kieran Cuddihy and I’m sure Kieran would have been well able for it,’ he continued to The Irish Sun.
‘So I’m bemused RTE are not doing it, and I’m also sad for the people who won’t be able to tune in, just to hear a little bit of home.
‘You’d have people listening in most years from Australia, New Zealand, even as far away as Argentina. That’s not happening this year.’
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Mrs Brown’s Boys will return to screens on BBC One on Christmas Day
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The cast of the divisive sitcom is largely made up of Brendan O’Carroll’s family
Brendan’s comments come after BBC viewers were left ‘crying their eyes out’ by an ‘underrated’ drama’s Christmas special that they claimed ‘should have taken Mrs Brown’s Boys place in the TV schedule’.
Beyond Paradise – a spin-off of popular crime drama Death in Paradise – hit our screens in February 2023.
It’s gone on to air 20 episodes across three seasons, starring the likes of Kris Marshall as Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman, Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd, Zahra Ahmadi as Detective Sergeant Esther Williams and Dylan Llewellyn as Constable Kelby Hartford.
They are also joined by Felicity Montagu, Melina Sinadinou, Jamie Bamber and Barbara Flynn.
There has been a Christmas special every year since it premiered, and this year it aired on December 22.
The episode follows Kris and the team try to figure out the identity of a man with dementia who has a photo of Kris, claiming that he knows him.
The BBC’s synopsis states: ‘An elderly man living with dementia turns up on the police station steps, clutching only a photograph of Humphrey.’
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Despite the backlash the show has managed to win a National Television Award
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Mrs Brown’s Boys will also air an episode on New Year’s Day
The teaser continues: ‘He’s searching for his sister, Louise, and believes that Humphrey is his last hope. But with precious few clues to her whereabouts, the team must work against the clock to unravel the mysteries of his past.
‘Just as they dive into the search, the station is rocked by another call. There’s been a break-in at a local wine bar, where the team celebrated their Christmas party just hours before. On top of this, Kelby is called to an unusual emergency: a man hopelessly trapped inside a snowman suit after his head was glued on as a prank.
‘As the clock ticks down, could the snowman hold a vital clue to solving another festive mystery?
‘With an influx of unexpected visitors, a slew of holiday crimes to crack and a heartwarming reunion on the line, can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal?’
The episode left many feeling very emotional and many took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts.
‘Just finished watching #BeyondParadise a nice harmless Christmas show with a great outcome. Question; Why didn’t the BBC schedule this for Christmas evening rather than Eastenders, Mrs Browns Boys and yet even more bloody celebrities in programmes?’
‘What have you done to me, I am a 49 year old man and I’m crying my eyes out, that is how you do a Christmas Episode, emotional, funny, heart, Selwyn!! Absolutely fantastic and Ade Edmondson is a National Treasure. #BeyondParadise.’
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Some critics claimed Mrs Brown’s Boys inclusion in the festive TV schedule had ‘ruined Christmas’
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Irish broadcaster RTE has decided to abandon its usual Christmas Eve live broadcast – which Brendan usually hosts alongside Joe Duffy
Upset viewers hit out after the BBC released their 2025 Christmas TV schedule, fuming ‘what a letdown!’
There will be festive editions of several BBC programmes, each filled with seasonal moments for fans to enjoy next month – but clearly they’re not to everyone’s tastes.
As the broadcaster shared what they had in store, X users raced to share their grievances – and didn’t mince their words.
One example is Mrs Brown’s Boys – which has become a staple for the Beeb since debuting in 2011 – and will have two specials, one on Christmas Day and the other on New Year’s Day.
Reacting online, one person penned: ‘Genuinely not one thing that stands out! What a letdown.’
Another wrote: ‘Well, that’s a whole lot of nothing special!’
A third added: ‘Please don’t ruin Christmas with Mrs Browns Boys!’
