Brendan O’Carroll has launched a foul-mouthed attack on critics who complain about his show and reminded them just how popular it is.
Mrs Brown’s Boys splits opinion among audiences. The show is one of the BBC’s biggest hits in years and regularly wins the ratings battle with its competitors.
However, detractors of Mrs Brown’s Boys have accused it of being unfunny, lazy, crude, sexist, homophobic and racist.
O’Carroll, who writes and stars as Agnes Brown in the show, has hit out at critics.
O’Carroll said: “Just change the f***ing channel. Honestly, I put on my dress and my t**s and go out and make people laugh and I come off, take off my dress, take off my t**s, get into the shower, come out and as soon as I come out of the theatre, I don’t even think about the show.
“The evidence of four NTA awards means people are not just liking it — they’re actually prepared to stand up and shout it.
“Radio Times named us ‘Sitcom of the Century’. We can only hope nothing good happens in the next eight decades to upset that.”
His thoughts were echoed by his wife Jennifer Gibney who plays Agnes’s daughter Cathy on the show.
Gibney said: “I don’t understand how anybody could get that annoyed. There’s some telly I don’t like but I’d never be full of vitriol.”
It isn’t the first time O’Carroll has lashed out at critics. In 2016, he said that he was particularly hurt that viewers in Ireland seemed to feel such anger towards him.
He told RTE’s Joe Duffy: “Some of it is hurtful but some of it is very annoying. Comedy is very subjective. Maybe it’s sour grapes… it’s a comedy show… it shouldn’t provoke that kind of anger. It’s just a comedy show.”
“The most hurtful part of it is that it does come from Irish newspapers… you’re thinking, ah lads, give us a break, we’re doing our best here.
“I’d be telling you a lie Joe, if I said it doesn’t hurt.
“We’re not doing brain surgery… it’s a comedy show.
“I’ve no idea what provokes the criticism. I think whoever writes that kind of stuff takes it far too importantly.”
The Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special will be shown on BBC One at 10.30pm on Christmas Day.
Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling