Mrs Brown’s Boys 2023 Christmas: Release date, cast and news

Mrs Brown’s Boys returns for its 2023 Christmas special, but who stars and what’s in store?

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Friday, 22 December 2023 at 14:21 PM

Mrs Brown is set to have a right mare this Christmas as the comedy series returns for a festive special: Mammy’s Mare.

And for Mrs Brown’s Boys fans, it’s not the only festive special this year, as the show returns for a New Year’s Day episode also. For the Christmas special, Brendan O’Carroll reprises his role as matriarch Agnes Brown, plus many more familiar faces set to make a return.

As with any good Christmas special, there’s set to be laughs aplenty as Mrs Brown just wants a peaceful Christmas but her family has some other (more chaotic) ideas for the day.

So, who’s returning for the festive special and when exactly is it airing? Read on to find out.

When will the Mrs Brown’s Boys 2023 Christmas special air on BBC One?

The Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas special is landing on the big day itself – so if you’re looking for a little comedy to round off your Christmas festivities, you’re in luck.

Mrs Brown’s Boys: Mammy’s Mare airs on 25th December on BBC One at 10:45pm.

As for when you can expect the New Year’s special, that will air on BBC One on 1st January 2024 at 10pm.

Mrs Brown’s Boys cast: Who’s returning for the 2023 Christmas special?

Brendan O'Carroll as Mrs Brown sitting at a table wearing a yellow cardian and shrugging in anger.
Brendan O’Carroll as Mrs Brown in Mrs Brown’s Boys.
BBC Studios,Elaine Livinstone

Brendan O’Carroll, of course, returns as Mrs Brown, along with many of the series favourites.

The confirmed cast for Mrs Brown’s Boys: Mammy’s Mare includes:

  • Brendan O’Carroll as Agnes Brown
  • Jennifer Gibney as Cathy
  • Fiona Gibney as Sharon
  • Danny O’Carroll as Buster Brady
  • Eilish O’Carroll as Winnie
  • Dermot O’Neill as Grandad
  • Paddy Houlihan as Dermot
  • Conor Moloney as Father Damien
  • June Rodgers as Birdie 
  • Amanda Woods as Betty 
  • Pat “Pepsi” Shields as Mark
  • Jamie O’Carroll as Bono
  • Martin Delany as Trevor
  • Jennifer Gibney as Cathy
  • Fiona O’Carroll as Maria
  • Emily Regan as Barbara
  • Blake O’Carroll as Blister
  • Paddy Houlihan as Dermot
  • Helen Roche as Maureen 

What is the Mrs Brown’s Boys 2023 Christmas special about?

It’s set to be another chaotic Christmas for Mrs Brown as a surprise dinner guest rocks up, creating its own fair share of carnage.

According to the synopsis for the episode: “All Mrs Brown wants is a nice, peaceful Christmas, but the family have other ideas! Cathy’s decided to cook Christmas dinner for the first time ever, a sentimental decoration has gone missing and there’s a surprise dinner guest, all of which have the potential to ruin Agnes’ quiet Christmas.”

Speaking about the episode to the BBC ahead of its release, Brendan O’Carroll said: “Well, first of all, there’s a shortage of Christmas trees yet again because of the forest fires in Spain and all over Europe and forest fires in America, so Buster has to get the Christmas tree from Australia. And it’s a particular Christmas tree from Australia that he gets.

“Also, Agnes’s focus completely switches from herself, which is usually who she thinks about most of all, to Father Jamie’s mother, it catches her a bit by surprise because again, I’m 67 years of age and you look at people and you go ‘oh there but for the grace of god go I.’

“And I knew when I was writing this, this is going to be very hard to tackle in a comedy show, but I think we got it, I think we captured it just right, because it’s a Christmas miracle and that’s what everybody is looking for at Christmas, the magic.”