Dragging on

You, dear reader, must make up your own mind about the talents of Brendan O'Carroll, the Dublin-born love-child of Old Mother Riley and Dick Emery. The BBC's Director of Content, Charlotte Moore, apparently can't stop giving him new shows.

On Saturday, we saw the return of "All Round to Mrs Brown's". Brendan told The Sun “We knew we were coming back for a second series before the first one had even aired. Charlotte Moore and [Head of Light Entertainment] Kate Phillips came to watch one of the recordings last year, and at the end of filming, they said: ‘So when will you be able to record next year’s series?’

“I shouted out in front of everyone backstage: ‘Just so you know, everybody, they’ve recommissioned the show for next year.’ I wanted f***ing witnesses!”

Today, the Sun tells us that Brendan is turning his remorseless wit in the direction of the Middle East:

'The sitcom, based on a group of Irish peacekeeping troops who patrol the border between Lebanon and Israel, is an early work-in-progress but is being made for BBC1. As well as writing it, Brendan and the usual Mrs Brown’s cast – which includes his wife Jennifer Gibney and his children Danny, Fiona and Eric O’Carroll – will star in the new project.'