As sitcom slumps in the Christmas Day ratings

Mrs Brown’s Boys star Gary Hollywood is suing the show’s creator Brendan O’Carroll in a row over pay.

The actor - who plays Dino Doyle in the sitcom – claims constructive dismissal and workplace discrimination.

In an interview with today’s Daily Star Sunday the actor claims he was paid less than his co-stars in All Round To Mrs Brown’s, the entertainment format spun off from the hit BBC sitcom.

And he claims that when he complained, he was axed from a festive special.

The 41-year-old actor told the newspaper: ‘I feel I wasn’t being paid equally and I wasn’t being given an explanation for decisions. When I tried to resolve it, nothing was done.’

‘I am taking legal action. The papers have been lodged for a tribunal and the process has now started.’

The news comes  as Mrs Brown’s Boys – which stars many of O’Carroll’s family - recorded its lowest overnight audience figures in almost a decade.

Just 3.8million viewers watched the special on Christmas Day, the lowest the show has ever scored for a festive special.

However, the episode was still the seventh most-watched programme of a day, amid a slump in TV audiences across the board.

Among other Christmas specials broadcast last week, Ghosts attracted 3.5million to BBC One,  Birds Of A Feather won 2.3m for ITV,  Motherland and Upstart Crow both drew 1.6million to BBC Two, and King Gary drew 1.5million  to BBC One.

Mrs Brown’s Boys is made by O’Carroll’s production company BOC Pix. A  representative for the show declined to comment to the Star on Hollywood’s pay claim.

Earlier this month, O’Carroll said he had a deal with the BBC that could keep the show on air until 2026.

Published: 27 Dec 2020