Daily Star Sunday

CHAT’S YER LOT, MRS BROWN?

New blow as spin-off show facing axe

- EXCLUSIVE by ED GLEAVE edward.gleave@dailystar.co.uk

BIG HIT: Chat show guests included Amir Khan and Danny Dyer

MRS Brown’s Boys has been hit by a new crisis.

This year’s series of spin-off chat show All Round To Mrs Brown’s is facing the axe due to coronaviru­s, we can reveal.

Bosses aren’t sure if it can be filmed under current Covid restrictio­ns.

A show source said: “This year’s series of the chat show is hanging in the balance. It’s not known if it can go ahead or not.”

It was due to return to screens in mid-March but, with just over a month to go, a decision is yet to be made.

The source added: “The cast were able to film two festive specials of Mrs Brown’s Boys last autumn because there were fewer restrictio­ns at the time and the cast were able to form a bubble.

“But making the chat show with different guests every episode is much more difficult to pull off in the current climate.”

It is the latest setback for the comedy which has suffered a string of blows in recent months.

Two stars left the show in the autumn.

And the show’s festive specials were a ratings flop, with the lowest viewing figures for a decade.

If the chat show now has to be scrapped, it will be a huge blow for the BBC.

Bosses would be left with up to six hours of primetime telly to fill during March and April.

The format sees celebritie­s pop in to see show matriarch Agnes, played by Brendan O’Carroll, 65.

Since its launch in 2017 guests have included Pamela Anderson, Teri Hatcher, Boy George and Caitlyn Jenner.

It is a ratings hit for the Beeb, with more than six million viewers.

Producers have vowed to do “whatever it takes” to make this year’s series happen.

Our source said: “If there is a way of getting the show on air, then they’ll make it happen.”

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