10 years since it last aired, is Ireland ready for a return of Mrs Brown’s Boys?

The divisive show has been the subject of controversy both on and off screen.

Ten years since the final season aired, it has been announced that Mrs Brown and her boys will be returning to our screens very soon. The show will be back on tellies across the country from next month, with four new episodes ready and waiting to be aired. Mrs Brown's Boys is the kind of show likely to spark a debate around the Christmas dinner table - there's no shortage of Irish people who are completely averse to it, while others will argue that "no one knows how to have the craic anymore" other than Agnes and co.

 

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Its ability to divide opinion is not where the controversy surrounding Mrs Brown's Boys ends. Since its iteration the show has been at the centre of wage disputes, live show bust ups and even a race row. In 2020, show creator and lead actor Brendan O'Carroll was sued by Gary Hollywood, who played Dino Doyle on the show. O'Carroll faced claims of constructive dismissal and workplace discrimination after a row over wages. At the time, Hollywood said he was glad to be off the show: "I’m getting on with my life. I’m out of the show now and to be honest, I am glad in a sense. I feel free from all the murkiness and what it is becoming", the actor said. "We have all grown up together. We have shared in success. So I don’t know why this had to turn out dirty and murky. It feels like a bad divorce." [caption id="attachment_115118" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Brendan O'Carroll of Mrs. Brown's Boys, photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images[/caption] Hollywood dropped the charges in 2021. In 2022, fans at a Mrs Brown's Boys live performance in Glasgow were left confused after a fight allegedly broke out in the audience - with many believing it was part of the show. According to the Irish Mirror, the performance was temporarily halted while security moved in to "restore calm", allowing the gig to continue. At the time, an SEC spokesperson said:

The individuals in question were removed as soon as our team became aware of the situation, as is standard practice.

O'Carroll has also faced backlash for a comment he made about having actors of colour on Mrs. Brown's Boys. During an appearance on The One Show, O'Carroll was asked if he'd consider having American actor Tyler Perry on Mrs Brown's Boys, to which he replied: "He's very expensive, and so far we haven’t had anyone of his colour in there so I don't know if we could have him in.” Following the backlash, O'Carroll said people need to "lighten up", with Perry adding "I think it is a very scary place if everybody wants censorship if they say something that somebody else doesn't agree with, or if they use a word that somebody else finds offensive." The new series of Mrs Brown's Boys will air on BBC One on Friday September 8, whether you like it or not. Header images via Getty / Instagram / Mrs Brown's Boys Official  READ NEXT:  - WATCH: Olivia Rodrigo reacts to Nadine Coyle in Passportgate