Entertainment
Mrs Brown’s Boys stars Fiona O’Carroll and Martin Delany split after 15 years of marriage
Brendan O’Carroll’s real-life family stars in the sitcom (Picture: BBC/BBC Studios/Alan Peebles)
Mrs Brown’s Boys star Fiona O’Carroll has announced she’s split from her co-star and husband of 15 years, Martin Delany.
Fiona, who’s the real-life daughter of the sitcom creator Brendan O’Carroll, plays Maria Brown on the BBC comedy, while Martin has appeared as Mrs Brown’s youngest son, Trevor.
The couple had been married since 2006 and share four children – Felix, Isaac, Eli and Dexter.
Announcing their split, Fiona said that she and Martin had met when they were very young and simply grown apart.
‘We wanted different things. I still have a lot of love for him and I only want the best for him and I think he feels the same way about me,’ she told The RTE Guide (via The Independent).
‘There were no major fights, and nobody else was involved but it was a case of not being on the same page any longer.’
Martin is now living in Portugal, but the pair are still focused on co-parenting and, when he returns to Ireland, he stays in the family house with them.
Fiona added: ‘I think I hung on for as long as I did because when my own parents broke up, that was very public, and there was a lot of hurt involved there.’
Brendan and his first wife, Doreen, split in 1999 after 22 years of marriage.
The actor has been open about the split and is quoted as saying: ‘I would rather it [the break up] had have happened earlier, that I had been more honest.
‘I was also very arrogant. I thought, “Well, I can’t leave because if I do she will fall apart,” which was terribly selfish and arrogant of me.’
He and his second wife, Jennifer Gibney, have been married since 2005, with Jennifer also starring on the show as Cathy Brown.
Mrs Brown’s Boys will return to screens this Christmas, with fans treated to two festive specials.
Brendan is married to co-star Jennifer Gibney (Picture: WireImage)
The first, titled Mammy’s Mechanical Merriment, will see Agnes Brown (Brendan) become a new member of the church choir in Finglas – although she’s been instructed by Father McBride (Jimmy Gibney) not to sing or dance, making her membership something of a conundrum.
Meanwhile, Buster (Danny O’Carroll) has to tap into his creative side while facing a Christmas tree shortage, as he ponders how else he can impress Agnes in light of the hurdle.
Elsewhere, Dermot (Paddy Houlihan) and Buster are running the Christmas celebrations at Foleys, organising a Murder Mystery night in aid of alcoholic greyhounds… as you do.
When New Year’s comes around, Agnes and the family are going to be in for a reunion when Grandad’s brother, Micky, comes for a visit after a stint in the clink.
More: BBC
After leaving prison, Micky comes by asking for €5,000 (£4,200) to invest in a gold mine in South Africa.
Everyone is suspicious of Micky’s intentions – that is, except Grandad (Dermot O’Neill).
Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Fiona O’Carroll and Martin Delany for further comment.
Mrs Brown’s Boys returns at Christmas on BBC One.
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MORE : BBC announces Christmas TV line-up with two Mrs Brown’s Boys festive specials on the way
