'Mrs Brown's Boys needs to be axed - it's the worst comedy ever made'

Somehow, and I'm not sure why, but Mrs Brown's Boys is back on our screens again. I don't go out of my way to watch it, but I once regrettably sat through an episode. I've had more fun vomiting since then. I found it cringey, over the top, and the jokes never land with me. So why on earth is the BBC still giving it airtime? I know for a fact that I am not the only one - many people on social media have said that it's not their cup of tea. But then again, it still gets views and recently triumphed at the 2024 National Television Awards, where it clinched Best Comedy. I'm still in shock at its popularity.

I love a lot of British comedy, but I find this show offensively bad. On the other hand, there are people who find it hysterical. A man in a dress falling off a Christmas tree? It's basically pantomime for the telly.

Then again, I am not the target demographic for the show. I'd rather binge-watch Plebs, Gavin and Stacey, or Friday Night Dinner. I don't see the appeal, but it seems that for the older generation, they think it's comedy gold.

It's attracted a loyal following over the years, which has made it hard for it to be cancelled. It's an old-school studio filmed sitcom, and it's completely unlike anything else on TV. Sigh.

The show hasn't been completely innocent. Last year, it was plunged into chaos when Brendan O'Carroll triggered a BBC investigation.

During a script run-through for the 2024 Christmas special with the cast and crew, O'Carroll, aged 69, mentioned an offensive term, which led to the temporary halting of rehearsals while the BBC urgently investigated the matter. However, the show ended up airing as planned.

O'Carroll admitted to the Mirror at the time, "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. It backfired and caused offence which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised."

The BBC also addressed the issue, stating, "Whilst 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."

Despite these issues, Mrs Brown's Boys continues to ride high on its success. I know it can sometimes be silly escapism, but it's been going on for long enough, and it's had its day. It simply cannot go on forever. It's the fundamental truth that all things must come to an end.

By modern standards, it needs to go. It's low-effort, low-hanging fruit television. There are plenty of other BBC sitcoms to enjoy, and frankly, Mrs Brown's Boys is a waste of a precious primetime slot (Fridays at 9:30pm) when something else much better could be shown.

No matter how funny the show pretends to be, the biggest joke of all is that the BBC hasn't had the guts to pull the plug. It's insulting for all of us who have to pay the BBC licence fee.