What do the Irish REALLY think about Mrs Brown’s Boys?

By Darren Boyle

20:50 21 Jun 2024, updated 21:56 21 Jun 2024

At one time, millions tuned into the hit BBC comedy show, but critics have largely panned it as ‘vulgar’, unfunny’ and ‘crude’.

Even Jon Petrie, the BBC’s director of comedy, found himself squirming when he was asked earlier this week if he found Mrs Brown’s Boys funny.

Created in 2011 by Irish comedian Brendan O’Caroll, the show has, since it began, found itself to be the Marmite of light entertainment – with many hating it as much as they love it. 

The show follows foul-mouthed Agnes Brown as she interferes in the lives of her family and friends, but often the so-called ‘fourth wall’ is broken and the cast are seen joking with the crew.

One might think the show has had its day, but it has received multiple academy awards and there are even two festive specials coming up this year.

So perhaps the best test is to ask viewers from the Emerald Isle what they really think – and the response is telling. 

MailOnline headed to an Irish bar in north London to find out what their views are on the classic comedy show and were largely met by raised eyebrows, bemused looks, confused laughter – and one respondent simply summed it up as ‘a load of old sh**e’…

Inside of an Irish bar in north west London, several people spoke about Mrs Brown’s boys having watched a brief snatch. 

For some, Father Ted is the best Irish comedy in Christendom. For others, it would be Derry Girls.

Many years ago, Dave Allen was one of the most popular comedians on the BBC. 

An Irish man who invented observational comedy, he would lead the viewer down a road to an obvious conclusion, before turning everything upside down. 

Mrs Browns’ Boys however is a far cry from Dave Allen for some viewers.

One simply called it ‘a load of all s***e, I tell you,’ adding, ‘It shouldn’t be on.’

Padraig from Leitrim said Mrs Brown’s Boys mocked the Irish people and that it was a ‘very inaccurate characterisation of Irish people I would imagine.’

He added: ‘Sometimes it’s humorous, sometimes not. It gets a bit cliched after one or two episodes.’

Trent from County Cavan said that nothing would beat Father Ted. 

Meanwhile Damien, from County Kerry, said the English deserve Mrs Brown’s Boys if they think it is funny as ‘it’s not exactly Dave Allen material.’

Elsewhere, MailOnline also spoke to the wider public to gauge their opinion. 

Friends Milla, Philly, Joanna and Helen, had conflicting views on what they thought of the TV show.

‘We think it’s funny but no one else does,’ Joanna said over a laugh.

Philly chimed in with: ‘I don’t think it’s funny. I don’t like it at all. I don’t like anything about it, I think it’s slapstick, I don’t like the content’. No, I really don’t like it.’

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Milla agreed and said: ‘I found it a little bit try-hard,’ in reference to how it navigates political correctness.

The group then collectively agreed ‘everyone’s so PC’ and that the show was ‘outdated’.

But Helen added: ‘I think what’s funny is the accents and I think the slapstick is quite funny, but the content is a little bit dodgy.’

Steve, who was visiting the country from Seattle with his friend Phyllis, appeared to have a similar view.

He said: ‘They certainly made the gay guy seem a little bit overly prissy I think…I thought that was a little over the top’, referencing the character of Rory Brown.

But there were some members of the public who really enjoyed the clips and thought the show was ‘hilarious’.

Edward, 23, said: ‘Its been a long time since I’ve heard potty humour like that, but I think its hilarious. 

‘It reminds me of home, I grew up with a large Irish community in Birmingham, so it’s a nice throwback.’

Von and Natalie from South Africa also liked the show and mentioned its relatability and light-heartedness.

Natalie said: ‘It’s a bit of reality with humour because you can relate to what’s happening but she’s making it funny, so its not unrelatable…and there’s humour to it so yeah, funny.

Von added: ‘It’s funny, it’s lighthearted. It makes light of life I guess.’

Mrs Brown’s Boys reached its peak audience of 11million in 2012 and 2013, then in 2017 was the most-watched show on TV on Christmas Day with 6.8m viewers.

It may have slumped to 4million viewers last Christmas, but it remains unquestionably one of the BBC’s biggest comedy hits that has now graced (or haunted) our screens for well over a decade.