Fiona O'Carroll, star of Irish sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys, has announced split from fellow cast member
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Mrs Brown’s Boys cast member Fiona O’Carroll splits from co-star husband

Fiona O'Carroll and Martin Delany have four children together

Fiona O’Carroll, star of Mrs Brown’s Boys, has announced her split from fellow cast member and husband Martin Delany.

The actress, 41, plays Maria in the sitcom and is the daughter of creator and star Brendan O’Carroll.

She has also performed the role in Mrs. Brown’s Boys D’Movie and chat show All Round to Mrs. Brown’s. Fiona has also previously appeared in ITV drama The Widower.

Martin, who last appeared in the show in 2019, played Trevor, Mrs Brown’s youngest son.

They married in 2006 and they have four sons together – Felix, Isaac, Eli and Dexter.

Fiona, 41, is Brendan O'Carroll's daughter and she plays Maria in the Mrs Brown's Boys cast
Fiona, 41, is Brendan O’Carroll’s daughter and she plays Maria in the Mrs Brown’s Boys cast (Credit: BBC iPlayer)

Why have Mrs Brown’s Boys cast members split?

Fiona told RTE Guide that the couple had “grown apart”.

She said they met when they were very young, when she was just 16, and Martin was ‘all she’d ever known’.

Martin Delany and Fiona married in 2006
Martin Delany and Fiona married in 2006 (Credit: BBC)

Fiona also said they had ‘grown apart’ over time.

Read more: Mrs Brown’s Boys cast pay tribute as show is rocked by Covid death

She continued: “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.

“There were no major fights, and nobody else was involved but it was a case of not being on the same page any longer.”

Reflecting on her parents’ split

Fiona also indicated the end of her parents’ relationship influenced her own marriage.

Her mother is Doreen O’Carroll, who was married to Brendan for 22 years from 1977.

Star Brendan, 66, married Cathy Brown actress Jennifer Gibney in 2005.

When my own parents broke up, that was very public.

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.”

It is believed Martin now lives in Portugal.

Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas 2021

A festive special of Mrs Brown’s Boys is scheduled to air on Christmas Day on BBC One at 10.20pm.

Read more: Mrs Brown’s Boys: Viewers divided as BBC show is extended until at least 2026

It will see Mrs Brown join the church choir. But she’s under strict instructions from Father McBride that there’s to be no singing and no dancing.

But with Dermot and Buster holding a Murder Mystery night in aid of alcoholic greyhounds, Christmas chaos is bound to ensue.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer