Brendan O’Carroll reveals an alternative universe and murder-mystery are in store for Mrs Brown and family during the festive season…
Mrs Brown's Boys star Brendan O'Carroll tells us all about the big Christmas Day special which sees Mrs B coming face-to-face with an angel played by a Coronation Street legend!
The show's hugely popular star adds that Mrs B isn't in for a tree-mendous Christmas...
In the Christmas Day episode, It’s a Wonderful Mammy, Mrs Agnes Brown wishes she’d never been born... within earshot of angel Clyde (Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy).
While in New Year’s Day’s Orange is the New Mammy a murderer called Peggy Piper is released from prison...which could put Agnes's friend Winnie in danger, as she was a witness!
We talked to Mrs Brown’s Boys creator and star Brendan O’Carroll. Here he reveals fans won’t be disappointed by this year’s two saucy, seasonal episodes…
Do you know if Mrs Brown's Boys has any famous fans?
Brendan O’Carroll: "One of the few to get a preview copy is Buckingham Palace! I was speechless a couple of years ago when our producer first told me that The Palace wanted an advance copy!"
What can you tell us about the much-anticipated Christmas Day special?
BOC: "It’s a lovely, funny and warm story called A Wonderful Mammy. Agnes is having a terrible day where everybody annoys her. Later, while waiting on a drink in Foley’s Bar, Agnes voices out loud that she wishes she’d never been born. Clyde, an angel-in-training eager to get his wings – who’s played by Kevin Kennedy AKA Curly Watts in Coronation Street – overhears and says he can show her what that would be like!"
MORE: The best Christmas films this festive season and when they’re on
A world without Agnes… We can’t imagine!
BOC: "It turns out Agnes’s husband Redser Brown married her nemesis Hillary Nicholson (Susie Blake) and none of her family are her family. Son Mark (Pat Shields) is now called Keith, grandson Bono (Brendan’s real-life grandson Jamie O’Carroll) is Claudius, and her daughter Cathy (Brendan’s wife Jennifer Gibney) is Pamela."
When does Agnes twig she’s in an alternative reality?
BOC: "When no one recognises Agnes and she can’t get into her home because it’s now Hillary’s house. And, as part of this year’s Christmas tree gag, Agnes learns that Hillary gets a beautiful tree every year from Buster, and unlike Agnes never has trouble with it! It even pours out snow when you press a button! Agnes goes to…. [At this point Brendan reveals what happens next, but we don't want to spoil the surprise]
Is the New Years Day’s episode as chaotic as the Christmas one?
BOC: "It certainly is! [Here Brendan impressively unleashes a rapidly delivered tongue twister] A worried Winnie tells Mrs Brown that Peggy Piper, who poisoned her husband Peter Piper by putting powder in his Pernod, is getting out of prison on parole!
"There was only one witness who saw her poison Peter’s Pernod, and that was… Winnie! Agnes needs to keep Winnie safe, but also begins to feel sorry for Peggy. She thinks maybe Peggy isn’t guilty and decides to get to the bottom of things. Sue Valentine plays Peggy – she’s fabulous and manages to look really hard!"
What makes these festive episodes of Mrs Brown's Boys extra special?
BOC: "The audience are the magic ingredient. People often ask me if I worry about the critics. I really don’t. The only critics I worry about are the audience. They’re the ones who will be vocal about whether they find something funny or not. They’re also the ones who come to our shows. The deal we have with them is, this is your night out, so come in, sit down and we’ll make you laugh. It’s the same with awards voted for by the public, they’re the ones that count."
It’s a Wonderful Mammy airs on BBC1 on Christmas Day at 10.30pm. Orange is the New Mammy is showing on BBC1 on New Year’s Day.
