Filming for this year’s Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas and New Year’s specials has been cancelled, as comedian Brendan O’Carroll needs “immediate surgery” on two jaw fractures.

The show’s 70-year-old creator and star shared the news in a post on social media, telling fans: “To say I am heartbroken is an absolute understatement.

“I would like to sincerely apologise to all our fans who were looking forward to seeing the shows and for any disappointment caused.”

O’Carroll said the fractures were discovered during a CT scan and that he “requires immediate surgery and a few months recovery”.

“I am talking with the BBC about getting Mrs Brown’s Boys back on the screen in 2027,” the statement continued.

The Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Panto shows scheduled for later this year have also been postponed, though O’Carroll added he is hoping to reschedule them for 2027.

“I now need to focus on getting myself back to full health, and I genuinely cannot wait to see you all again in 2027,” he said. “Our fans mean the world to us, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support and trust me Agnes Brown and her family will be back!”