By James Hibbs

Published: Monday, 19 December 2022 at 12:00 am

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Brendan O’Carroll’s long running comedy series Mrs Brown’s Boys is returning for its annual festive specials, with two brand-new outings for the Irish mammy.

The Christmas and New Year specials will see the family trying to suss out Cathy’s new boyfriend Boris (who may or may not be a vampire), while Agnes is concerned about his “creepy” twins.

The cast of course sees O’Carroll returning alongside Jennifer Gibney, Fiona Gibney, Danny O’Carroll and others, while Phil Cornwell also joins the group.

Read on for everything you need to know about this year’s Mrs Brown’s Boys festive specials, including when they are set to air.

When will the Mrs Brown’s Boys 2022 specials air on BBC One?

There will be two Mrs Brown’s Boys specials airing over this festive period – one for Christmas and one for New Year.

The Christmas special, called Shining Mammy, will air on BBC One at 10:25pm on 25th December, Christmas Day 2022, and will be half an hour long.

Meanwhile, the New Year’s special, called Mammy’s Hair Loom, will air on BBC One at 10pm on 1st January, New Year’s Day 2023, and will also last for half an hour.

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

BBC / Alan Peebles

The official synopsis for this year’s Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas special, which is called Shining Mammy, says: “It’s Christmas in Finglas once again, and this year Cathy has a new boyfriend, Boris.

“A last-minute change of plans leaves Agnes babysitting the widower’s twins while he and Cathy head to Foley’s for a quiet, romantic drink. Not everyone is convinced he’s right for Cathy, and there are even suspicions that he might be a vampire. But it’s not Boris that Agnes is worried about; she has her own concerns over his creepy twins.”

What is the Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year’s special about?

BBC / Alan Peebles

The official synopsis for the upcoming Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year’s special, which is called Mammy’s Hair Loom, says: “Suspicion surrounds Cathy’s creepy boyfriend, Boris. Buster and Dermot are convinced he is a vampire and hatch a plan to save Cathy, which leaves her mortified.

“Sharon has boyfriend troubles of her own, and Father Damien has been called away to tend to some depressed chickens. Meanwhile, Buster convinces Agnes she should have her antique vase valued. Who knows how much it could be worth? After all, it has been handed down through generations, and she plans to leave it to Cathy as her inheritance.”

Mrs Brown’s Boys cast – who is returning for the 2022 specials?

BBC / Alan Peebles

When it comes to the cast for these festive specials, it of course wouldn’t be Mrs Brown’s Boys without Brendan O’Carroll, who returns as Agnes Brown. She is joined by regular cast members including Jennifer Gibney, Fiona Gibney and Danny O’Carroll, while one new cast member for these specials is Phil Cornwell (Strike) as Cathy’s boyfriend Boris.

You can read all about how many of the different cast members in the series are related here.

The full list of cast members to be announced for both specials so far is as follows:

• 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
• Phil Cornwell as Boris

Mrs Brown’s Boys will air at 10:25pm on Christmas Day 2022 and at 10pm on New Year’s Day 2023 on BBC One. Meanwhile, all previous episodes are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.

The Christmas double issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.

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