Mrs Brown’s Boys star Brendan O’Carroll’s racist joke comes to light after show halted for BBC probe
The severity of the slur has raised questions about the BBC’s initial handling of the incident
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Mrs Brown’s Boys star Brendan O’Carroll “implied” the N-word during rehearsals for the show’s Christmas special, according to reports.
Filming for the show’s Christmas special was halted as the BBC carried out a probe into the incident, but no details of the highly offensive slur were given at the time.
It has now emerged that the comic told a joke alluding to the N-word in front of shocked colleagues.
During a reading of the script while in character as Agnes Brown, the Daily Mail reported that O’Carroll said: “I don’t call a sp*** a sp***, I call a sp*** a...”
He then reportedly began to utter the N-word before he was stopped by his on-screen daughter, who was also in character.
![Witnesses who witnessed the incident were reportedly “shocked” by the slur and “flagged [it] with the BBC afterwards”.](https://static.independent.co.uk/2023/08/30/09/439238.jpg)
Witnesses of the incident were reportedly shocked by the slur and “flagged [it] with the BBC afterwards”.
A representative for O’Carroll told the paper: “We would also like to clarify that the “n” word was absolutely not spoken, it was implied. Agnes (Mrs Brown) began the word but was stopped from finishing it by her daughter Cathy, as she (Mrs Brown) knew she would be.”
In addition to the obvious offence of the implied ‘N’ word, the use of the term “sp***”, a derogatory slur used against black people, is also deeply insulting.
The revelation has raised questions about the BBC’s handling of the incident. In initial statements, the broadcaster did not acknowledge how severe the slur implied was.
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The BBC investigated the incident and temporarily stopped rehearsals, which have since resumed at the corporation’s Pacific Quay studios in Glasgow. It is understood that the specials are still scheduled to air on BBC One this festive season in their usual Christmas Day and New Year’s Day slots.
Mrs Brown’s Boys, with its distinctive humour, has been a divisive presence on the Christmas schedules for many years, with O’Carroll playing matriarch Agnes Brown, and various members of his family making up the ensemble cast. A fifth full series of has been commissioned and is set to start filming next spring.
The Irish actor and writer, 69, apologised on Tuesday, before the nature of the slur used came to light.
“At a read-through of the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas specials, there was a clumsy attempt at a joke, in the character of Agnes, where a racial term was implied,” he said. “It backfired and caused offence which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised.”
A BBC spokesperson said on Tuesday: “While we don’t comment on individuals, the BBC is against all forms of racism, and we have robust processes in place should issues ever arise.”
The Independent has contacted representatives for Mr O’Carroll for comment.