Mrs Brown’s Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll has been criticised for joking about Tyler Perry’s “colour” while appearing on The One Show.
The Irish actor has a guest role in A Madea Homecoming, the latest Netflix film from Perry. As Madea, Perry – like O’Carroll as Mrs Brown – plays an older woman.
The pair appeared on The One Show on Tuesday (22 February), when presenter Lauren Laverne asked O’Carroll if he would return the favour and give Perry a cameo on Mrs Brown’s Boys.
“I don’t know if we could afford him, he’s very expensive,” O’Carroll said, with Perry saying: “Please answer that, I want to hear that.”
“He’s very expensive and so far we haven’t had anybody his colour in there,” the Irish actor continued, pointing at his face on the word “colour”.
O’Carroll said that he would love the actor to appear on the show or for the pair to make another film together, while Perry laughed at the comment while repeating the words: “Nobody my colour.”
“Times have changed, change the world,” Perry added, as O’Carroll continued pointing at his face and mouthing. “Diversity rules, here we go.”
The One Show viewers were shocked by O’Carroll’s comment, which was described by one viewer as “offensive at best”.
“What did I just hear from Brendan O’Carroll?” one incredulous viewer questioned, while another echoed: “Did Brendan O’Carroll just say that?”
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“Excuse me!?” another commenter tweeted. “Did I… did I just hear what I thought I heard on the #TheOneShow from Brendan O’Carroll either I misunderstood or was that blatant racism on a prime time @BBCOne show #wtf.”
“Anything with Brendan Carroll/Mrs Brown in is an absolutely no from me. And I can’t believe what he just said about Tyler Perry being on his show. Such ignorance,” one commenter tweeted.
Another tweet read: “You definitely heard Brendan right on #TheOneShow what the actual f*** was that?”
“Really don’t understand how #MrsBrownsBoys is even a thing,” one tweet read. “Interview on #TheOneShow and makes a joke about ‘someone of his colour’. Offensive at best BBC!”
The Independent has contacted O’Carroll’s representatives for comment.
