BBC Faces Backlash After Renewing Mrs Brown's Boys Despite Dwindling Support
The BBC isn't making many friends lately, and the latest bombshell is their decision to green-light a fifth season of Mrs Brown's Boys. What was once a primetime hit and a Christmas staple is now used more for mockery online than for family laughs around the sofa. The newest season is set to start filming in May 2025, but if social media is anything to go by, not everyone is rolling out the welcome mat.
Back in 2013, the show smashed records with a Christmas special watched by a jaw-dropping 11.5 million people. Fast-forward to recent years, and those numbers have crashed. The last time Mrs Brown's Boys even cracked the top 10 for Christmas Day shows was 2020, pulling in a much smaller crowd of 3.8 million. Now, critics write it off as stale, with The Independent labeling last year’s special “tedious, unfunny, small-minded.” But the BBC? They’re doubling down, ignoring the growing choir of groans from viewers who want something new.
The timing of the announcement isn’t winning any prizes either. Back in October 2024, the show was thrown into controversy when creator and star Brendan O'Carroll made a remark during rehearsals that came off as a racial slur, leading to a very public apology and a pause in production. While the BBC did halt filming to conduct an internal review, they allowed O'Carroll and the crew back soon after. It didn’t do much to heal public trust, though, and this fresh season renewal feels like pouring petrol on the fire.
Social media didn’t hold back. One viewer summed up the mood with a tweet: “God. Aren’t we suffering enough.” Others posted cheeky jabs, sharing ridiculous fake clips and asking what the BBC could possibly see in this well-worn sitcom. The frustration only grows when you look at what the network has axed lately. BBC bosses pulled the plug on several viewer-loved shows, including Nadiya Hussain's popular cooking series, despite solid ratings. For many, it’s a real head-scratcher why Mrs Brown’s Boys escapes the chopping block every time.

Why the BBC Won't Let Go of Mrs Brown's Boys
So, why keep betting on a show that's tanking in the ratings and catching flak from almost every direction? The honest answer probably lies somewhere between nostalgia and a stubborn sense of brand loyalty. Mrs Brown’s Boys was, for years, reliable Christmas gold, serving up ratings and easy jokes. Old habits die hard at the BBC, and changing direction isn’t always quick or easy. Plus, the show still has a hardcore fanbase—though it’s shrinking every year.
Yet, you have to wonder how this fits with the BBC’s broader strategy. The broadcaster has come under fire for being “out of touch” across its schedule, not just with Mrs Brown’s Boys. From pricey talent hires to strange cancellations, critics see a pattern: the BBC clings to familiar names and old formulas, even as audiences drift away. The result? Social media uproar, headlines calling for change, and the sense that, in a world where TV tastes are evolving fast, the BBC’s programming decisions are stuck in the past.
There’s no doubt Mrs Brown’s Boys is now as controversial for its existence as its jokes. Whether this new season turns things around or adds more fuel to the backlash, one thing’s for sure: the conversation isn’t going away anytime soon.