Shock As Mrs Brown's Boys Gets BAFTA Nod

Even its creator Brendan O'Carroll has admitted he was "gobsmacked" that his show Mrs Brown's Boys had been nominated for a prestigious BAFTA television award.

The comedy series, a joint venture between RTE and BBC, has been a ratings success for both networks.

But it was roundly savaged by TV critics, who thought it was "old-fashioned and corny", "nauseating", "lazy and self-indulgent", "spectacularly unamusing and shockingly offensive".

The Dublin-born comedian first created Agnes Brown, the foul-mouthed matriarch of the show's title for a radio sketch in 1992.

O'Carroll, who plays the character in full drag, has since turned it into successful live shows, big-selling DVD specials and even a serious movie starring Angelica Huston.

But the 56-year-old is enjoying bigger success than ever with the new comedy series, the first episode of which aired in the UK on February25th just hours before nominations for the BAFTAs closed.

"I didn't even know we were on any list until Tuesday when I got a text from the BBC saying 'we are amazed' to tell you that you are nominated for a BAFTA," he said.

"We're surprised. I think they're shocked."

Mrs Brown's Boys will do battle with the likes of Steve Coogan for The Trip and David Mitchell's Peep Show, a previous winner, at next month's ceremony.

As well as being watched by an average of about three million viewers per episode - a great audience for its Monday night 10:35pm time-slot, the BBC says it also has an A1 rating of 85 out of 1000 on its scale of audience appreciation.

And it's the first time the BBC has had a comedy which rated so highly - a second series was commissioned before the first one had even finished airing.

In other words, while critics may scratch their heads in bewilderment, audiences are lapping it up.

And now O'Carroll's peers in the TV industry have shown him their support by voting for him in enough numbers to secure a BAFTA nomination.

The show is a family affair - Cathy, Mrs Brown's daughter, is played by Brendan's wife Jennifer Gibney.

Maria Brown, Mrs Brown's daughter-in-law, is Brendan's daughter Fiona. Buster, Mrs Brown's son's best friend, is Brendan's son, Danny.

"All this BAFTA stuff is weird but delightfully weird because the whole family is involved," laughs O'Carroll, "Showbiz can be a lonely life but I get to share this with the whole family."

Brendan himself is about to become an even bigger name in the UK.

Caroline Aherne, the comedy genius behind Mrs Merton and The Royle Family, has written her first TV comedy series in a decade and has cast Brendan O'Carroll in it.

It's called The Security Men and it's due to air on ITV towards the end of the year.

It has the potential to make him an even bigger star.

Actor Robert Sheehan and TV presenter Grahame Norton were the other Irish names among the nominees in other categories.

Sheehan, who is from Portlaoise, is nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for his performances as Nathan in the E4's Misfits.

The young heartthrob, who can be seen in the upcoming movie Killing Bono, announced recently that he was leaving the show to concentrate on film work.

Funnyman Grahame Norton has received a nod in the Best Entertainment Performance category for his Friday night BBC One chat show.

The Cork man will also be hosting the BAFTA awards ceremony on Sunday May 22nd.