‘The BBC have put a lot of money into this. They took over a town outside Glasgow to make it look like Ireland’

AGNES Brown will have competition at Christmas from a brand new Irish sitcom — starring none other than its creator Brendan O’Carroll.

The Irish Sun can reveal that Shedites is set to air on BBC One in prime time.

It is a new sitcom starring Bren and penned by his Mrs Brown co-star Paddy Houlihan.

While Mrs Brown will be getting up to her usual antics around the Christmas tree, viewers tuning into Shedites will see Brendan with a beard and a moustache playing Jimmy, one of the regulars who meet up at a men’s shed in Ireland.

Son Danny O’Carroll told The Irish Sun: “The BBC have put a lot of money into this. They took over a town outside Glasgow to make it look like Ireland, changed all the road signs into Irish and painted the post boxes green. The locals all gave their houses over for us to film in.”

Tipped as the biggest Irish comedy on UK TV since Father Ted and Mrs Brown, Shedites features a stellar Irish cast including Shane Casey, crazy Billy Murphy from The Young Offenders, Deirdre O’Kane, Simon Delaney and Brendan’s own son Danny.

And Danny told us: “This is a much more real show than Mrs Brown. There’s no man in a dress.

“It covers much more serious topics like mental health but in a light-hearted way.

“I play a character called Cheesey who suffers from depression and whose counsellor sends him to the men’s shed to meet and talk to other people.

“My dad plays Jimmy, a narky old man, which isn’t that far from the truth! Only joking dad.”

Directed by Ian Fitzgibbon, responsible for RTE comedy gold Paths to Freedom, Danny is ­quietly confident that audiences will warm to Shedites.

Speaking on set from Glasgow this week Danny told us: “We had a feeling in our bones from the first day shooting that this would be good.

‘VERY EXCITED’

“Paddy wrote the script and is a wonderful storyteller. We’re very excited about this.”

The Irish Sun first revealed plans for Shedites in November 2023.

However the ­initial cast has now changed, with Tommy Cannon, formerly of duo Cannon & Ball, not taking part in the comedy.

Instead actor Phil Davis, who has worked with acclaimed director Mike Leigh, will play the character of Harry in Shedites.

‘HIGHLIGHTS MENS’ MENTAL HEALTH’

Danny said: “In the men’s shed everybody is dealing with their own problems at home but they come together for a cup of tea and a chat.”

Speaking previously to The Irish Sun, Brendan O’Carroll told us: “I’ve been advocating for the BBC to make this show for a long time because as well as being really funny, it highlights mens’ mental health.

“It’s not something men talk about but that’s become easier because of the mens’ shed movement which has sprung up across the UK and Ireland. There’s a kitchen, a card table but even more importantly, men can go there and talk through their problems with other men.”

Shedites’ release date is expected in BBC’s forthcoming Christmas schedule and the team involved have been told to expect “a prime time slot on BBC1 over Christmas”, the same channel which will show two Mrs Brown Christmas specials.

NEW JOB

Meanwhile, Danny will be in Waterford this Christmas ­playing the panto dame in Jack and the Beanstalk at the SETU Arena.

It is his first Irish appearance since he stole the show on RTE’s Dancing With The Stars.

Danny said: “I was always Buster from Mrs Brown but suddenly everybody knew me as Danny.”

Danny will also be starting a brand new job in the New Year on Highland Radio in Donegal, as their new ­drivetime presenter from January 5.

He said: “Donegal is my home so I’ll enjoy talking to people up there. The only thing I’m nervous about is all the buttons.”