Latest news with #StephenFry
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Stephen Fry weighs in on the AI debate and says humans are not 'evolved' to work: 'The big mistake we made was to stop and settle'
Stephen Fry has weighed in on the ongoing debate around artificial intelligence and revealed why he doesn't think human beings are 'evolved' to work. There has been much debate around how AI technology will reshape the job market, with many actors in particular protesting its use in Hollywood. Now, Blackadder star Stephen has weighed in and argued that human beings were never 'evolved' to work steady 9-5 jobs in the first place. Speaking to Alan Carr on his Life's A Beach podcast, he explained: 'We're going to have to re-examine what work means over the next decade as we know because of AI and so on. 'And this idea that jobs will be taken and there will be a large percentage now of the population where the mixture of robots and AI will be taking over the manual and indeed the white collar work.' 'We weren't evolved to work, work isn't a natural condition of humanity in the sense of nine to five,' he continued. 'Yes there are hunter-gatherers, you feed yourself and you find a way to feed yourself, and there are few hunter-gather tribes left, but the big mistake we made was to stop and settle.' Stephen explained that the modern day work culture was born when aristocracy emerged, which forced other people to work for them. 'You have to remember, whatever you see from AI now, it's never going to be this primitive again... AI now is the equivalent of a gigantic mobile phone,' he added. Stephen has been very vocal about both the pros and cons of AI in recent years and has actively got involved in the debate about the purpose and ethics of the tech. An AI version of Stephen's voice was used at Hay Festival this year in an art installation, called Vocalize, to 'confront the future of AI, identity, and truth'. Led by an AI-powered version of Stephen, visitors were given the chance to get their very own voiceover training session to learn the tricks of the trade. However, just as visitors were finding their voice, things took an unexpected turn, according to an online description of the event. The installation came two years after Stephen shared his concerns after discovering that an AI recording of his voice had been created without his knowledge. Back in 2023, Stephen told of his shock upon learning that his recordings of the seven Harry Potter audiobooks had been used to recreate his voice with AI. 'I said not one word of that – it was a machine. Yes, it shocked me,' he said at the time during an appearance at the CogX Festival. 'What you heard was not the result of a mash-up. This is from a flexible artificial voice, where the words are modulated to fit the meaning of each sentence. It could therefore have me read anything from a call to storm Parliament to hard p**n, all without my knowledge and without my permission.' The actor revealed his agents went 'ballistic' when they learnt of the recreation, but he warned them: 'You ain't seen nothing yet.' 'When it comes to AI models, what we have now will advance at a faster rate than any technology we have ever seen. One thing we can all agree on: It's a f***ing weird time to be alive,' he added.
The Guardian
24-07-2025
- The Guardian
No more meltdowns, mess or madness! 20 simple tips for surviving long family journeys
The phrases 'Are we there yet?' and 'I'm hungry' provide a soundtrack whenever I travel with my six- and three-year-old daughters. No matter how far we've gone, there's a constant stream of demands for snacks, games, entertainment, stories, songs … the list goes on. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Every summer, we travel to the Lake District, a seven-hour drive. And we regularly holiday in France, which involves long train, ferry and car journeys, so my husband and I have become skilled at managing these. Keeping all ages happy – including my mum who often comes too – is by no means an easy task. Throw in delays, hot weather and travel sickness and it's not just the kids having tantrums. So, here are my tips for surviving long trips for all ages, including those from other seasoned travellers and experts. My eldest daughter has used a Yoto – a small portable stereo with story cards – for years and loves it. They're great with headphones, but you can play the cards from the car stereo too. On a holiday around the Isle of Wight a few years ago, my 77-year-old mum, the girls and I all got into listening to Enid Blyton. RG Yoto Mini £59.99 at Yoto£60 at Argos Audiobooks accompany us on most long journeys with our children who are now nine and 19. The Harry Potter stories read by Stephen Fry are a firm favourite. We also enjoy The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher on the long Christmas trip to see the parents. Michael Pattinson, Buckinghamshire Audible membership £5.99 a month (first month free) at Audible There's a limit to how many Peppa Pig episodes or annoying conference calls I – or those sitting near us on the train – want to hear on any journey, so noise-cancelling headphones are ideal if you want to block out the sound around you. Get your kids a pair of headphones, too, so they don't disturb everyone. RG Bose QuietComfort SC headphones£189.95 at John Lewis£189 at Amazon Belkin SoundForm Mini kids wireless headphones £19.99 at Argos£27.57 at Amazon Reusable stickers have been my go-to for long car journeys since my girls were tiny, and they keep them entertained for hours. They stick to just about any surface and you can reuse them, unlike sticker packs, which only get one use. My girls usually stick them to the car windows but they're also ideal for trains (just peel them off when you leave). Rebecca Macnab-Grieve, Cambridgeshire Melissa & Doug reusable sticker pad £6.49 at Hamleys£6.49 at Amazon Always have an emergency picnic with you – this could be a baguette or crackers and some picky bits that you can eat without too much mess. This is handy on long journeys and it's also a lot cheaper than the train cafe or service station. Rachel Stirling, author and owner of The Lunchbox Mama The Filter's favourite cooler bag: Quechua 20L cooler backpack £24.99 at Decathlon£25 at Argos For more tried-and-tested picks, see our guide to the best cool boxes and bags We often consider travel pillows as something you take when flying, but they're perfect for trains and cars (passengers only) too. They prevent you arriving at your destination with a stiff neck from naps. Andy Brooker, travel expert at Kate & Tom's Go Travel neck pillow for adults £19.99 at Marks & Spencer£19.99 at John Lewis Trunki neck pillow for kids £12.99 at Boots£12.99 at Amazon In France, it's the law to have a first aid kit in the car, but we've always had one packed: someone is bound to have an accident. Keeping this somewhere handy means you can quickly grab it to tend to any bumps or scrapes. RG St John Ambulance first aid kit £14.99 at B&Q£15.60 at Amazon Agree to have it on shuffle: that way you don't get stuck listening to nursery rhymes or football podcasts for the whole journey. Who knows, you might even find some common ground in family music tastes. Georgia Dayton, co-founder of the Made by Mammas podcast Spotify premium £11.99 a month (first month free) at Spotify On a long journey you really don't want the tech to run out of battery, meaning you can't turn on your phone for the final directions to your destination, or a child's tablet dies halfway through a film. A power bank will help you to avoid these situations (as long as you remember to charge it). RG The Filter's favourite power bank for portability: Anker Nano £29.99 at Anker£18.99 at Amazon For more tried-and-tested picks, see our guide to the best power banks A seat organiser that hangs over the back of the front seats is a saviour on long car journeys. It's incredibly frustrating constantly having to turn around and pass things to kids in the back, be it snacks, games or more snacks. With these, they can reach for their own activities, food and drinks, and you don't end up with backache and/or nausea. Zoe Hardman, co-founder of the Made by Mammas podcast Car seat organiser £4.99 at B&Q£4.99 at eBay Our kids, eight and 11, are fans of the 'rainbow game', which keeps them occupied for longer than it should. They must spot a car in each colour of the rainbow while we're driving before they can shout: 'Rainbow!' Linda Winder, Oxfordshire We're fully fledged lorry spotters and whenever we're on the road we have an ongoing game of who can spot the most. Pick one company at the start of the journey and whoever spots the most is the winner. The Eddie Stobarts always get the loudest cheer. Carrie Percy, London Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion You can't go wrong with Uno, and it always comes with us on long journeys with our nine-year-old son. Piper Terrett, Norfolk Uno card game £7.20 at Marks & Spencer£5.98 at Amazon Tablets can be a godsend. We use them sparingly, downloading a few programmes and films in advance. We have one attached to the headrest, so it sits between the two front car seats and no one can control it from the back. RG Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet £59.99 for 32GB at Amazon£114.99 for 16GB at John Lewis Halfords universal tablet headrest mount £7.99 at Halfords Parenting Hell is my number-one podcast to listen to while driving, or anywhere when I'm not with my children, along with Dish and The Trawl. But if you have small ears listening, The Week Junior has a great podcast, or for really small people, the CBeebies podcast. Our favourite for all members of the family, though, is BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. RG For babies, plan your driving around their nap times where possible. Consider a mirror for rear-facing car seats so you can make eye contact and chat to them. It helps keep them calmer and reassured when they can see you. Rosey Davidson, sleep consultant, founder & CEO of Just Chill Mama Car seat mirror £12 at John Lewis You don't want to buy wasteful water bottles and takeaway coffees while you're on the move. We use our own bottles and refillable coffee cups instead. RG KeepCup insulated reusable commuter cup £31.95 at Mountain Warehouse£33.95 at Amazon Ion8 leakproof water bottle From £11.99 at Decathlon£12.99 at John Lewis Break up the journey with new toys, books or magazines the children haven't seen before. These could even be old toys they've forgotten about rather than buying something new. We usually dish them out one an hour. Amy Baker, Hertfordshire Sunscreen isn't just for outside; it's crucial when you're travelling too, as you can still get burned through train and car windows. It's also a good idea to reapply if you find yourself waiting on a platform or out on a ferry decking during the day. RG Sali Hughes' favourite sunscreen for kids: Altruist sunscreen SPF50 £5.25 at Victoria Health£11.49 for two at Amazon Bondi Sands sunscreen lotion £8.79 at Look Fantastic£8.79 at Sephora For more sunscreens, see our guide to the best SPF No one wants to be on a train without air conditioning on a hot day, but if you are, a portable fan will work wonders. Just make sure to charge it before your journey. RG Handheld and foldable desk fan £12 at John Lewis Dobble has become one of our favourite card games: all you need is a flat surface (a train table is ideal). It's best with four players but can be played with two. Each person takes it in turns to put a card down and try to spot a picture match with the previous card. We use the standard set but there are lots of variations (Minions, Disney, Marvel and more). It's addictive. RG Dobble card game £9.60 at Argos£9.60 at Amazon If you're spending a lot of time in the car, and your children are anything like mine, you'll probably be constantly cleaning up crumbs, packets, half-eaten croissants or abandoned pieces of fruit. I bought a small car bin last year, which stays in the car and everyone (adults included) has to use it. RG Halfords car bin £5.99 at Halfords Rebecca Goodman is a journalist living in Cambridgeshire. She has two daughters, six and three, and is deep in the parenting trenches, spending most of her time cleaning up crumbs, making endless snacks, and answering to never-ending demands while writing for national newspapers. She is passionate about embracing the good (and bad) aspects of life with two children
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Celebrity Traitors salaries REVEALED ahead of much-anticipated new series
The salaries of the star-studded cast of the Celebrity Traitors have been revealed ahead of the hotly-anticipated series. Nineteen celebrities have already filmed the latest round of backstabbing and betrayals in Scotland's Ardross Castle, with fans eagerly awaiting the series' release. Major names including Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway, Paloma Faith, Joe Marler and Alan Carr have joined the line-up as they will put their cunningness to the test. As anticipation builds for the first ever UK celebrity iteration, the salaries of the high-profile cast have been revealed by The Rest Is Entertainment podcast. Rather than being paid individual wages, all of the celebrities were paid the same £40,000 fee to appear on the show, according to journalist Marina Hyde. 'It's certainly interesting to compare something like Celebrity Traitors on the BBC to I'm a Celebrity on ITV,' she told her co-host Richard Osman while discussing BBC wages generally. 'Although we haven't seen the celebrity iteration yet, but we know it's gonna be massive. Look at the calibre of the people they got.' 'They were able to pay everybody a blanket 40k fee, right? I am spilling all my tea today. They're paying them a 40k fee,' she shared. Pointless host Richard, 54, compared it to The White Lotus - where the celebrity cast were all paid a base rate of $40,000 (£29,000) per episode, not any individual rates. 'It's like White Lotus when everyone got paid the same, they got paid much less than you would normally do,' he said before hastening to add that 'everyone is massively overpaid in the entertainment business'. Richard then teased that he knows someone who has seen the first episode, describing it as 'amazing' as he hinted fans won't be disappointed. The BBC declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Filming for the Celebrity Traitors kicked off at the end of April as the cast were seen arriving at Inverness Airport, and shooting has already wrapped for the show. Though the exact release date has not yet been confirmed, it is expected to land on the BBC in autumn 2025. The celebrities who will transform into Traitors and Faithfuls include actors Stephen Fry, Ruth Codd, Celia Imrie, Tameka Empson and Mark Bonnar. Comedians Alan Carr, Nick Mohammed, Joe Wilkinson and Lucy Beaumont will also take part, joining singers Paloma Faith, Cat Burns and Charlotte Church. Also confirmed for the show are presenters Jonathan Ross, Clare Balding and Kate Garraway, Olympic diver Tom Daley, rugby player Joe Marler, historian and writer David Olusoga and YouTuber Niko Omilana. Missing from the confirmed line-up was actress and comedian Jennifer Saunders, who was heavily rumoured to be taking part. BBC bosses took extra precautions to keep the cast under wraps ahead of its reveal, following a series of leaks. According to The Sun, executives put in place a military-style operation to transport the all-star cast to Ardross Castle. And a no-fly zone was in place over host Claudia 's Highlands HQ to stop drone photographers from securing any images. A source told the publication: 'For a show with secrecy and shocking plot twists at its heart, navigating the celebrity version has been a real puzzler. 'Casting the likes of TV presenter Kate Garraway, former rugby star Joe Marler, and singer Paloma Faith creates a situation which is a lot more open to leaks and gossip than recruiting a call centre manager from Liverpool or a retired opera singer. 'So execs have worked really hard to lock down every inch of the production.'
Metro
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
The Celebrity Traitors 'confirmed' cast salaries make me feel incredibly uneasy
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video When the cast of the first-ever celebrity edition of Claudia Winkleman's cloak and dagger reality series, The Traitors, was announced in May, no one could quite believe what they were reading. Months later, I'll still be going about my day and remember Sir Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross, Charlotte Church, and Clare Balding will be gallivanting around a Scottish castle together and I'm thankful I'm alive to see it. The full line-up is astonishing, an incredible feat for Studio Lambert, which is the production company behind the show, which is currently at the top of its game. They also do Race Across The World, arguably the second-biggest reality TV series in the UK right now. In theory, I always imagined there would be a stream of A-list talent queuing up to take part in the first ever Celebrity Traitors. But still, it felt like a miracle they managed to pull off what must be the best line-up in celebrity reality television history. Now that miracle seems even more unreal. We don't have a fixed release date yet, but Celebrity Traitors is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn. We'll update you when we know more! Comedian Alan Carr Singer and songwriter Cat Burns Actor Celia Imrie Singer Charlotte Church Broadcaster Clare Balding Historian David Olusoga Former England rugby player Joe Marler Comedian Joe Wilkinson Presenter Jonathan Ross Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway Comedian Lucy Beaumont Actor Mark Bonnar Actor and comedian Nick Mohammed Content creator Niko Omilana Singer and songwriter Paloma Faith Actor Ruth Codd Actor and presenter Stephen Fry Actor and comedian Tameka Empson Former professional diver Tom Daley The prize money for winning Celebrity Traitors will be £100,000, which will go the the charity of the winner's choosing. On Tuesday's episode of The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, host Marina Hyde reported that every single star taking part will be paid a flat rate of £40,000. According to Hyde's sources, Sir Stephen Fry – by far the show's biggest booking – will receive exactly the same fee as actress Ruth Codd, best known for starring in Netflix's 2022 series The Midnight Club. Want to get all the latest news and predictions for the best and most dramatic show this new year? Join our The Traitors WhatsApp channel for live episode coverage, behind-the-scenes gossip and a place to recover from all the cliffhangers. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! This is despite the former easily being the biggest draw for audiences, likely to even lure in viewers who have never seen The Traitors. Everyone is playing the same game, has made the same commitment, and will be valued in exactly the same way. My immediate reaction is that I'm uncomfortable – but let me get to the positives first. A flat-rate – if true – is a big equaliser, meaning no big egos to match. More often than not, the highest-paid 'talent' on reality TV can be a car-crash. Just this year, Mickey Rourke was said to have been paid £500,000 to be confined to a compound with the likes of Jojo Siwa and former Conservative MP Michael Fabricant in Celebrity Big Brother. He lasted less than a week and had to be removed from the house for 'unacceptable behaviour'. In 2023, Nigel Farage was reportedly paid £1.5 million for I'm A Celebrity. Sure, he ended up coming third, but his appearance in the jungle alone threatened to tarnish the show for good. So a flat rate for the Celebrity Traitors season would genuinely be a very welcome shift in direction. Still, it sits uncomfortably with me that some of The Celebrity Traitors cast are being paid at all, especially when it's being pitched as a game for charity — with a maximum of £100,000 being donated to the winner's chosen cause. In total, the cast is reportedly being paid £760,000 – that's £660,000 more than the money that can possibly be raised for the charity or charities who benefit from a winning celebrity. Should three faithful come out on top at the end, the flat £40,000 rate would mean they've individually been paid more than they've raised for their charity, which feels disingenuous and actually quite vulgar. It's been reported previously that The Traitors contestants in the regular civilian seasons are only compensated for their time at a rate of around £100 a day, unless they win the eventual prize. As evidenced by the emotional stories of why they want to win, it's clear many of them likely need it a lot more than the cast playing the celebrity version. Granted, it's a life-changing experience: Minah Shannon, the true hero of season 3, has just gone on to land a slot on BBC Radio 1, while Alexander Dragonetti hosted his own Friday night series on Classic FM. Many contestants make a quick buck through endorsements, appearances, and a substantial boost in social media followers, but they can give up their jobs and are only paid lost wages during filming. Yes, they have the chance to walk away with a huge amount of money – but when split between other Faithfuls, it's roughly the same as the celebrities who are being paid anyway. Of course, I appreciate some of the celebrity line-up will have had to move projects or even drop projects to make it work. I'm also sure playing The Traitors for two weeks isn't always the jolly it appears to be on TV. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video And I have no doubt some of the cast will donate their fee to the charity of their choice anyway. Sir Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross are worth tens of millions and have done plenty of charity work for free – I'd be amazed and honestly very disappointed if they actually took any of their fee home with them. For other names on the bill, the rumoured £40,000 probably means a lot more. Charlotte Church recently admitted she blew her £25million fortune and says she is 'no longer a millionaire'. I mean, yes, join the club – but also £40,000 is a lot of money to anyone who isn't rolling in it. Admittedly, it's naïve of me to think the cast won't have been paid at all or that celebrities don't lend their name and the value it has to campaigns and charities without making a few bob. But it does make me uncomfortable. I'm A Celebrity doesn't donate any prize money to charity, which isn't exactly more honourable, but at least there's no pretence. The stars on that show are very open about taking part for the money and there's nothing wrong with that. I'd want six-figures too to spend a day with Nigel Farage, let alone three weeks. So what's the solution? The cast signs up without pay? I'm sure Studio Lambert could have found an all-star cast of talent that would genuinely want to take part for the love of the game and their charity without being paid a dime. More Trending But perhaps I'd feel more comfortable if the prize to the charity was guaranteed to be larger than the pay to the celebrity. The format of The Traitors is unbeatable. Combined with the star power of this line-up, I can't imagine anything else will be as popular on television this year. I can't even think of anything, at least in entertainment, that will come close. If the show's going to fork out the cash on celebs to take part, then maybe it should also be willing to double the prize pot, bringing in some real jeopardy for the celebs so you'd make a better – and fairer – show. View More » Metro approached the BBC and Studio Lambert who both declined to comment Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: I've heard enough words – I want more Government action on Israel-Palestine MORE: BBC confirms decision on MasterChef series filmed with John Torode and Gregg Wallace MORE: EastEnders fans 'obsessed' as Walford legend returns to TV screens
Scottish Sun
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Jaw-dropping TV documentary series on romance frauds and cheats back for a second series
Plus, read on to learn about Stephen Fry and Alan Carr's time on Celebrity Traitors ROM CON Jaw-dropping TV documentary series on romance frauds and cheats back for a second series CHANNEL 4 is playing dirty once again by lining up a fresh batch of adulterous scandals for viewers to shake their heads disapprovingly at. I can reveal bosses have commissioned a second instalment of docu- series Love Cheats following its debut run last autumn. Advertisement 8 Fake aristocrat Lord Bertie Underwood — real name Robert Madejski — was jailed for fraud offences Credit: facebook 8 Megan Clarke was scammed by Madejski leaving her £30,000 in debt Credit: Channel 4 And the broadcaster is on the hunt for more real-life victims of relationship scams and lying partners. The original run hit the headlines courtesy of a fake aristocrat called Lord Bertie Underwood — real name Robert Madejski — who set the scumbag bar spectacularly high. He scammed his unsuspecting loving fiancee Megan Clarke by secretly taking out credit in her name, leaving her £30,000 in debt — while he was also sleeping with men on the side. He was later jailed for fraud offences involving another victim. Advertisement A TV insider said: 'The first series made such a big impact Channel 4 chiefs couldn't wait to green light a follow-up.' Research teams are collating more extreme cases to feature and cast their net far and wide. The source added: 'It's shocking so many people's lives have been destroyed by these con artists but there is some consolation that the culprits' actions can be outed in such public fashion.' Other big storylines from series one included a man falling in love with a mum of one who faked having cancer to con him out of almost £10,000, plus twin sisters who were defrauded by a scammer posing as a firefighter. Advertisement Plus, across the pond, a comic-loving man fell for the charms of an equally geeky girl with Multiple Sclerosis. He paid for her medical care, as well as rent, before digging deeper into his pockets to fund the 'life-changing treatment' she desperately needed. I was scammed by fake 'lord' who left me £30K in debt In all, he paid out £80,000 of money he didn't have. And when he realised his dream girlfriend was a scammer, she falsely accused him of domestic abuse, fled to Japan, and targeted more victims. Advertisement Not a very likeable bunch . . . A GRAVE ERROR ON TRAITORS STEPHEN FRY and Alan Carr are staying tight-lipped about their time on Celebrity Traitors – and the rumour mill has started filling in the gaps. Stephen joined the Chatty Man on his Life's A Beach podcast – and the topic turned to the BBC1 show, which was filmed in Scoland and will air this autumn. 8 Stephen Fry is staying tight-lipped about his time on Celebrity Traitors Credit: Alamy Advertisement Alan said: 'We holidayed recently near Inverness in a castle. But we can't say anything.' Stephen replied: 'Not a word.' Alan continued: 'Nothing. And there's already clickbaity things happening. Apparently there's a funeral. There's no bloody funeral. 'We are obviously talking about Celebrity Traitors, which was a wonderful experience. I had to mention it but our lives wouldn't be worth living if we start giving out spoilers.' Advertisement Ok, we get it . . . PERFECT MATCH, ENGLAND IT'S a line up of look-a-likes almost as impressive as the team they're impersonating. The cast of Dear England, the BBC adaptation of the West end play about Gareth Southgate's career, came together to start filming last week. 8 Joseph Fiennes as Gareth Southgate in Dear England Credit: CLICK NEWS - SPLASH Advertisement 8 Michael Watson as Kieran Trippier in the BBC adaptation Credit: Click News and Media 8 Francis Lovehall as Raheem Sterling Credit: Click News and Media 8 Edem-Ita Duke as Marcus Rashford Credit: Click News and Media And it was incredible just how much like the England players who feature in the show, which was using posh public school Harrow to double up as the squad's Stafordshire training ground. Advertisement Former Shakespeare in Love star Joseph Fiennes was arguably the most uncanny doppelganger as the manager Gareth. But the rest of the 'players' were just as convincing - right down to some of the ball skills they were showing off too. We can all witness for ourselves when it airs next year on BBC One. CHANNEL 5 has unveiled a raft of new dramas. Advertisement They include Imposter, starring ex Corrie actress Kym Marsh and Neighbours' Jackie Woodburne. While detective mystery Cooper and Fry, from Stephen Booth's novels, features Downton Abbey's Robert James-Collier. FANS ARE BROWN'S BUOYS MRS Brown's Boys star Brendan O'Carroll says the comedy would be nothing without its studio audience. The Irishman says having a live reaction to the gags brings something extra special in an age where hardly any sitcoms are filmed in front of fans. Advertisement 8 Brendan O'Carroll says Mrs Browns Boys would be nothing without its studio audience Credit: BBC Brendan, who also co-writes the hit series, will be back as matriarch Agnes Brown as the show returns to BBC One for a new four-part mini series, on August 1. Agreeing with Lee Mack, who writes and stars in fellow BBC hit Not Going Out, Brendan said: 'Filming in front of a live audience is essential to the show. 'So many times, at the end of rehearsals, our director, Ben Kellett will say, 'All this needs now is the audience' and he is so right. Advertisement 'They follow every move, every line and add so much to our performances. We would be lost without them.' Sadly, it's a dying art.
