Mrs Brown’s Boys has pulled in millions of viewers over the years, but some social media commentators have previously said the show ‘isn’t funny anymore’
The BBC’s head of comedy has reportedly ‘refused’ to answer whether or not he finds Mrs Brown’s Boys funny.
Over the years, millions of people have laughed along to Brendan O’Carroll’s hit sitcom. But the series has also faced its fair share of critics, with viewers having called it “drivel” or saying they have “suffered enough”.
O’Carroll has previously addressed the online trolls, saying his critics can ‘feck off’ – his character Agnes Brown’s catchphrase. Now, BBC head of comedy Jon Petrie has been asked to address whether he finds the show funny, and it promptly got a bit awkward.
During a Q&A session at a BBC showcase comedy event, Mr Petrie ‘refused’ to give an answer to the question, reports The Telegraph. The journalist asking about the show replied: “I’ll take that as a ‘no’, then.”
To which Mr Petrie is said to have laughed. He was appearing at the event alongside Michelle de Swarte, who is appearing in an upcoming BBC Three show.
The actor and comedian urged Mr Petrie not to answer the question, quipping: “This is a trap.”
Later in the event, however, Mr Petrie is said to have explained Mrs Brown’s Boys is “still getting numbers for us”. He revealed it has achieved healthy ratings – similar to the likes of Ghosts, Motherland and Not Going Out.
Launched in 2011, Mrs Brown’s Boys hit a ratings high of 11 million in its early years, leading to its Christmas and new year specials becoming a staple of the BBC’s festive schedule. Its 2023 Christmas special however was down to four million.
The show centres around Agnes Brown and her family living in the Republic of Ireland. It has been a commercial success but has scored unfavourably with critics.
Mr O’Carroll previously explained comedy is “subjective”, he remarked: “What some people like, other people just detest. So I don’t take it too serious.”
According to the Telegraph, the BBC said Mr Petrie had not had a chance to elaborate on whether he finds Mrs Brown’s Boys funny when asked at the Soho showcase. The Beeb pointed out he believes Mrs Brown is an “iconic comedy character”.
His statement read: “Mrs Brown’s Boys is a Bafta-winning comedy show and one of the BBC’s most watched comedies ever. It’s made me laugh many times and seeing Mrs Brown’s Boys live is an unforgettable experience. I feel very lucky that I’ve had the chance to witness it and I’m proud to have it in the BBC comedy stable.”
