Brendan O’Carroll opened up about his health (Image: GETTY)
This week, Brendan O’Carroll announced that the Christmas and New Year specials of Mrs Brown’s Boys have been cancelled due to an “unexpected” health issue. The news comes after the 70-year-old faced other health issues in recent years, from being warned he was at risk of a heart attack to suffering from a virus.
Announcing his latest health setback, Brendan, who plays the show’s lead character, the loud-mouthed Irish matriarch Agnes Brown, told fans he could no longer go ahead with the festive specials as he needs “immediate surgery”.
He wrote: “It is with sincere regret I must announce that due to an unexpected medical issue I will have to cancel the recordings of the 2026 Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas and New Year’s Specials.
Christmas and New Year specials of Mrs Brown’s Boys have been cancelled (Image: BBC)
“Following a CT Scan, it was found that I had two fractures in my mandible (jaw) which requires immediate surgery and a few months recovery.”
The actor also confirmed that he would postpone his festive Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Panto? shows in Dublin and Killarney, with the aim of rescheduling them for 2027.
“This decision has not been taken lightly and has been made on medical advice from my consultant,” he added.
In 2020, Brendan shared an exclusive health update with us as he entered a more positive chapter following a period of ill health.
This came after he suffered from a virus and a problem with his arteries in the space of three years.
Brendan O’Carroll with his wife and co-star Jennifer Gibney (Image: GETTY)
Following successful treatment and lifestyle changes, including giving up smoking, he was able to get back on his feet.
At the time, he told us: “They’re not related but, that time I thought I was having a heart attack was when we were recording in Glasgow, about three years ago.
“It turned out just to be a virus, I had a very bad virus. Thank God, after two days I seemed to be okay,” he shared.
“Ironically, fast forward two years after that, a doctor, who is a friend of mine, was watching me on a TV interview and he said, ‘There’s something wrong with Brendan’s breathing and I don’t like that’.
Brendan said filming will not go ahead due to an ‘unexpected medical issue’ (Image: BBC)
“So, he sent me to a place and they put a stent in my heart,” he added. “It turned out I was about a month away from a heart attack.”
Thankfully, Brendan overcame his health issues with medical intervention and the support of his loved ones, telling us: “I am 110 per cent okay now, thank God you have friends.”
Now facing a new health issue, the actor said he needs “to focus on getting myself back to full health” as he thanked fans for their support.
“I genuinely cannot wait to see you all again in 2027. Our fans mean the world to us, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support and trust me Agnes Brown and her family will be back!,” he added.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
