Shocking moment Brendan O'Carroll tells Harry and Meghan pal Tyler Perry he might be 'too black' to appear on Mrs Brown's Boys in resurfaced BBC clip amid 'racism probe' of star
A shocking clip showing Mrs Browns Boys star Brendan OCarroll allegedly making a racist joke towards US actor Tyler Perry has resurfaced amid an ongoing race row.
A shocking clip showing Mrs Browns Boys star Brendan OCarroll allegedly making a racist joke towards US actor Tyler Perry has resurfaced amid an ongoing race row.
The Irish comedian who plays the title character in the BBC comedy, appeared on The One Show in 2022, where he was accused of making an incredibly racist remark about the American billionaire filmmaker.
The pair were promoting their new Netflix movie A Madea Homecoming, which is a crossover film of Mrs Browns Boys and Perrys comedy series Madea, when OCarroll was asked if he thought his fellow guest could feature in the BBC show.
The 69-year-old pointed to his face and said: So far we havent had anyone of his colour in there so I dont know if we could have him in.
Perry awkwardly laughs off the remark before staring at his co-star - seemingly in disbelief at what he just said - and repeating it back to him: Nobody my colour.
The clip has resurfaced after OCarroll recently sparked outrage again after alluding to a highly offensive slur during rehearsals for the shows Christmas special.
This clip showing Mrs Browns Boys star Brendan OCarroll (right) allegedly making a racist joke towards US actor Tyler Perry (left) has resurfaced amid the new race row
The 69-year-old was appearing on The One Show in 2022, alongside Perry when he made a joke about his colour. Perry can be seen her awkwardly laughing off the joke
In a clip from the Netflix movie A Madea Homecoming, Mrs Brown greets Madea by crossing her arms and saying Wakanda forever, in reference to the Black Panther symbol
OCarroll appeared on the show with Perry to promote their new Netflix movie A Madea Homecoming, which is a crossover film of Mrs Browns Boys and Madea.
The film, which is directed by Perry, itself features a number of jokes poking fun at different characters difference in race.
In one scene, Mrs Brown greets Madea by crossing her arms and saying Wakanda forever, in reference to the Black Panther symbol.
Another clip shows the actor at dinner with Perrys character, where she says Im Mrs Brown, with one of the costars replying: Im a brown too.
Mrs Brown starts to reply youre more bla... but is cut off by her on-screen daughter slapping her.
The Medea series sees Perry dressing up as a woman, similarly to OCarroll when he performs as Agnes Brown, to play family matriarch Mabel ‘Madea’ Simmons in a series of films.
O-Carroll pictured on ITVs This Morning in 2022, the same year he was accused of making the racist remark towards Perry
Two years on from the incident OCarroll (pictured as the character of Agnes Brown), has again sparked outrage after alluding to a highly offensive slur during rehearsals for the show
The One Show clip has resurfaced amid an ongoing race row involving OCarroll, in which he implied the N-word during rehearsals for the shows Christmas special,
During a reading of the script while in character as Agnes Brown, OCarroll is said to have said I dont call a spade a spade, I call a spade a...
He then started to utter the N-word before he was stopped by a co-star, whose intervention was allegedly delivered while in character as Agnes daughter.
OCarrolls representative told the Mail: 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 knew she would be.’
Reports that O’Carroll made a ‘racial joke’ first surfaced in the Daily Mirror.
The new revelation raises questions about the BBC’s initial handling of the incident.
In initial statements about the incident, neither the BBC nor O’Carroll acknowledged the severity of the offensive slur.
Cast and crew were reportedly stood down while the corporation ‘tried to get to the bottom’ of what happened.
The rehearsals then resumed in Glasgow at the broadcaster’s Pacific Quay studios in Scotland and shows will go ahead as planned.
OCarroll famously employs his family to appear alongside him, with his wife Jennifer Gibney starring as his on-screen daughter Cathy (left, alongside Rory Cowan and Pat Shields)
Mrs Browns Boys won a National Television Award for Best Comedy last month. Brendan OCarroll is pictured holding the award with his wife and co-star Jennifer Gibney
The BBC said: ‘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.’
O’Carroll, 69, apologised for making a ‘clumsy attempt at a joke’ in character as Mrs Brown where a ‘racial term was implied’.
His full statement said: ‘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.’
Those who witnessed the remark were reportedly left ‘shocked’ by the slur which was ‘flagged with the BBC afterwards’.
Mrs Brown’s Boys has been a regular feature on the BBC’s Christmas schedules for more than a decade.
The show has also had several mini-series runs, including a four-part series last year, which was the first since 2013.
In the programme O’Carroll’s character, who is known affectionately as ‘mammy’ in the series, is a foul-mouthed Irish mother.
