Comedy legend slams viewers for 'abusing' Mrs Brown's Boys in defensive rant
Ben Elton has defended the BBC One sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys, calling it "insane" that the show receives any backlash. The 65 year old comedian, known for his work on iconic series like Blackadder and The Young Ones, described the show as "so inoffensive" and praised the cast as "brilliant" actors with "perfect timing".
Speaking to The Sun, he said: "It’s insane this show is so abused. It’s so inoffensive. You can say it’s unfunny or old-fashioned but you cannot say it’s stupid and lacks skill. These are brilliant comedians with perfect timing."
The star, whose own TV show was axed in 2013, added: "They’re doing a type of comedy you may not find appealing because maybe you’re embarrassed about the fact you have no understanding of why it’s funny, so you can’t give yourself over to it."
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Mrs Brown's Boys, which first aired in 2011, stars Brendan O'Carroll as the titular Irish matriarch. Despite recent controversies, including an incident where lead star Brendan used an "implied racial term" during a read-through, the show will continue to be produced until at least 2026.
A source revealed: "Virtually everyone in the room on the day that the outburst happened were shocked, but the reading continued for some time without anyone saying or doing anything as they were so stunned. " "One member of the production team in particular was upset by what came out of his mouth and it was quickly reported to the bosses."
"There was no excuses for what he said or any kind of context or mitigation he could provide for making the slur, he just seemed to think it was amusing."
The individual later expressed regret, stating he was sorry for "having caused offence".
