Brendan O'Carroll has announced he is undergoing urgent surgery on his jaw, leading to the cancellation of the Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas and New Year's specials. The 70-year-old creator and star of the sitcom said in a statement that the festive recordings would not proceed as he requires "immediate surgery".
Medical issue forces cancellation
O'Carroll wrote: "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."
"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."
Postponed shows and rescheduling
He also postponed his Mrs Brown's Boys D'Panto? shows in Dublin and Killarney, originally scheduled for later this year. "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."
The comedian said he and MCD Productions are working to reschedule the shows for 2027. He has also been in talks with the BBC about bringing the TV series "back on the screen" in 2027, and thanked MCD and the BBC for their "support and understanding at this difficult time".
Focus on recovery
O'Carroll said he is now focused on returning "back to full health", adding: "I genuinely cannot wait to see you all again in 2027. 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."
Last year, O'Carroll told The Standard that Mrs Brown's Boys will remain on television as long as the BBC wants it. "As long as the BBC say keep making it I'm going to keep making it," he said.
Asked if he still enjoys the process after more than a decade on air, he replied: "F*** yeah! People ask me when do you start thinking about the Christmas tree? I say January the first, I think about it all year. I love the Christmas specials because it's a tradition now and it's warm and it's very much a family time and the family are all in the show so it's good."
