Brendan O'Carroll cancels Mrs Brown's Boys over jaw surgery

The 2026 Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas and New Year's specials and upcoming stage tour have been cancelled after star Brendan O'Carroll suffered two jaw fractures.

The 70-year-old Irish actor announced on Monday that he requires immediate surgery and several months of recovery following a CT scan that revealed the injury.

In a statement shared on the BBC show's official Instagram page, O'Carroll expressed his sincere regret over the unexpected medical issue that forced the recordings to be axed.

O'Carroll said: "It is with sincere regret I must announce that due to an unexpected medical issue I will have to cancel the recordings of the 2026 Mrs. Brown’s Boys Christmas and New Year’s Specials." He added: "Following a CT Scan, it was found that I had two fractures in my mandible (jaw) which requires immediate surgery and a few months recovery." He confirmed: "I am talking with the BBC about getting Mrs. Brown’s Boys back on the screen in 2027."

The injury has also forced the actor to postpone scheduled performances of "Mrs. Brown’s Boys D’Panto?" at 3 Arena Dublin and Gleneagle Arena later this year. O'Carroll stated that his team is working with promoter MCD to try to reschedule the live shows for 2027, thanking both MCD and the BBC for their support and understanding at this difficult time.

Speaking further about the decision to cancel filming, O'Carroll explained that the choice was made on medical advice from his consultant. "This decision has not been taken lightly and has been made on medical advice from my Consultant," he said. "To say I am heartbroken is an absolute understatement. I would like to sincerely apologise to all our fans who were looking forward to seeing the shows and for any disappointment caused."

O'Carroll reassured viewers that he is focusing on returning to full health before making a comeback. "I now need to focus on getting myself back to full health, and I genuinely cannot wait to see you all again in 2027," he wrote. "Our fans mean the world to us, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support and trust me Agnes Brown and her family will be back!"

A BBC spokesman confirmed the changes, telling The Daily Mail: "We wish Brendan a full and speedy recovery and are working with him on plans for Mrs Brown’s Boys in 2027."

Sitcom origins and spin-off success

Mrs Brown's Boys is a BBC One comedy starring O'Carroll as Agnes Brown, an elderly woman who likes interfering in the lives of her friends and family members, and goes to any extent to find out what secrets her family is keeping from her.

Initially airing in 2011, the show has won several awards and spawned a short-lived live spin-off, All Round to Mrs Brown's, which saw Mrs Brown interview a host of celebrity guests.

However, in recent years the show has seen a drop in popularity, with the most recent Christmas special branded "woeful" and "unfunny" by viewers who say they couldn't "wait to switch it off" just minutes into the show.

The theme of the festive episode, called "Mammy's Bottles", was to rediscover the meaning of family as she brought her dearest ones together for a festive photograph. The storyline showed Buster revealing yet another of his trademark Christmas trees with maximum drama, while Cathy worried about which gifts to buy.

Viewer backlash and falling ratings

Disgruntled viewers of the British show raced to X to express their frustration with the latest festive episode. Comments included: "Who finds #MrsBrownBoys funny? It’s f*****g awful"; "The BBC have just witnessed the biggest switch off in their history as they announce the Christmas special of #mrsbrownsboys"; "How the hell is Mrs Browns boys still a thing, absolutely woeful #mrsbrownboys"; and "Mrs. Browns Boys being the highlight of Christmas TV. A national disgrace."

The New Year's Day special didn't fare much better and even resorted to viewers begging the BBC to axe the "torturous" sitcom. The synopsis for the New Year special read: "Tensions are high as Agnes (Brendan O'Carroll) and the gang prepare for an incoming storm. Buster's flying high as he nervously awaits his birthday parachute jump, Winnie receives a shock to the system, and a lost nun is in need of help."

Addressing the show's official account, one viewer wrote: "Maybe time to retire. Painful to watch, ruined New Year's Day. I watched out of habit. Why am I paying a licence?" Other disgruntled viewers of the "unfunny drivel" posted: "GET MRS BROWN'S BOYS AXED" and "As if I haven't had to put up with enough torture today, me nans put Mrs Brown's Boys on."

It follows the sitcom's 2024 Christmas special which saw its ratings plummet to the lowest ever, with viewers claiming it "ruined" their holiday spirit. The show, which has been branded "marmite television", attracted a measly 2.2 million viewers on Christmas Day, a huge drop from the 11.5 million who tuned into the show's 2013 special.

Past workplace controversies

Meanwhile in 2024, the programme was embroiled in controversy when a Black member of the production team quit the show over Brendan's "implied" N-word "joke". The BBC1 comedy show was swept up in a racism row over the attempted gag, with Brendan given a final warning by the corporation, but allowed to remain in the role.

During a reading of the script, while in character as Agnes Brown, the comedian is said to have said: "I don’t call a spade a spade, I call a spade a…" He then started to utter the N-word before he was interrupted by a co-star during rehearsals for the show's Christmas specials.

According to a report in the Daily Mirror, the junior worker on the programme was horrified by the attempted joke when it was made during a "read-through" for the Christmas specials. A source who worked on the set told the newspaper: "How is it that they are no longer on the show but Brendan is? The whole thing is messed up."

The BBC came under pressure to properly explain how it dealt with the controversy, having so far only provided a short statement saying it is "against all forms of racism". Sir Trevor McDonald told Mail that he regarded the attempted joke as "crude", "offensive" and "insulting", calling on the BBC to have "harsh words" with Brendan.

A BBC source said the corporation had spoken to the comedian and "made it clear what the consequences of any future issues would be," claiming the corporation and O'Carroll were taking the matter "extremely seriously". Brendan later said: "At a read-through of the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas specials, there was a clumsy attempt at a joke, in the character of Agnes, where a racial term was implied. It backfired and caused offence which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised."