Brendan O’Carroll claims that when he fell into depression due to a $4 million debt, Mrs Brown’s Boys rescued him.
The Irish comedian, known for writing and starring in the acclaimed sitcom, found himself utterly destitute after investing heavily in a film that ultimately failed.
He expressed, “It was the first time I’d experienced depression like that. I sat in my house with the curtains drawn for days, thinking, ‘God, just take me now. I’m in a terrible place. I couldn’t see a way out. I was completely in a mess. The idea of having to start over from scratch after everything was heartbreaking.”
The setback occurred in 1998 when Brendan opted to borrow a significant amount to finance the movie Sparrow’s Trap, which he both wrote and directed.
A film company was supposed to provide the funding but backed out just two days before filming was set to begin—leading Brendan to make a choice that would change his life. The film, which centered on a boxer in Dublin, was ultimately produced but never released, leaving Brendan burdened with substantial debt and merely $50,000 in his bank account.
He reflected, “I couldn’t find anyone to blame. There was no one to point the finger at. I felt trapped in a desert, but I had walked there on my own.”
“Many people I was close to deserted me, and I watched them walk away, thinking, ‘I never thought you would leave me behind.’
“That solitude was the most painful part. A perfect dream had morphed into a horrific nightmare. I was broke and felt worthless.
“However, I came to recognize that I needed to rise and re-engage with life. Mrs Brown saved me because creating a play about her enabled me to begin repaying my debts.”
He proudly noted, “I finally cleared my debts last year.”
The father of three developed the brash matriarch character in 1992 for an Irish radio program before featuring her in a series of successful plays.
But Mrs Brown, played by Brendan in drag, only became a global phenomenon when he was commissioned to write the sitcom, which launched in 2011. Brendan, a former milkman, turned to comedy writing following a previous financial crisis.
At the age of 25, he found himself on the verge of bankruptcy after a friend absconded with cash from a joint investment, leaving him $130,000 in debt.
He recalled, “I co-owned a pub with a friend, and one day, he disappeared with all the money, the stock, and the bank account. I was terrified.
“I had nothing left. My life revolved around borrowing and taking odd jobs.
“It took me weeks to grasp that it was real, that this was actually happening to me.
“I remember sitting outside a friend’s house on Christmas Day in the pouring rain, just thinking to myself—he has to return. But he never did.
“I was furious back then. If I had seen him, I would have done something regrettable. But now, I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason.
“That experience pushed me toward comedy. I was desperate for cash and pleaded with a friend to let me take the stage at a club he owned.
“It was a hit and made decent money, leading me to continue on that path.”
by Lorelle Heath
