How to watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 online

(Image credit: BBC)

A festive fixture on UK TV for a decade, the Mrs Brown’s Boys specials commanded over 11 million viewers back in 2013. While they don’t quite hit those giddy heights now, they’re still a bloody good craic. Settle in for more seasonal shenanigans as we explain how to watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 online this December – and totally FREE with BBC iPlayer.

Watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 online

Episode date: December 25 on BBC One

Time: 10:20pm GMT

Stream for FREE in the UK: BBC iPlayer

Watch anywhere: try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free

Last year’s Yuletide special caught Agnes stockpiling toilet paper during the pandemic and winning a competition to deliver an alternative queen’s speech, while another showed us life in Finglas without Mrs Brown, à la It’s a Wonderful Life. Each was peppered with F-bombs and the characteristic ribald humour of the meddlesome matriarch.

New episode “Mammy’s Mechanical Merriment” promises to be as enjoyably bawdy as before. Agnes joins the church choir, although Father McBride forbids her from either singing or dancing, while a Christmas tree shortage forces Buster to get creative – with predictably hilarious results. Then there’s the arrival of a distant relative from Liverpool to contend with – an ex-con named Mikey out to swindle Grandad.

So, pay a visit to Mrs Brown this Christmas – and again a week later for the New Year’s special – with our guide below. It’ll explain how to watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 online and for absolutely FREE.

How to watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 for free in the UK

The well-intentioned yet mischievous Mrs Brown is back for another helping of holiday cheer. You can watch the 2021 Christmas special, entitled “Mammy’s Mechanical Merriment” live via BBC One on December 25 from 10:20pm, or live online with BBC iPlayer.

If you fell into a sugar-induced coma on the day, you can watch it on-demand shortly after broadcast on iPlayer, where it will remain for roughly 30 days. In any instance, you’ll need a valid TV licence to watch the seasonal special, but the service is completely FREE to use for anyone in the UK.

Abroad this Christmas? You can still catch all your favourite programming just like you would at home with the help of a VPN. Allow us to explain more.

How to watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 online from anywhere in the world

If you find yourself out of the country on a one-horse open sleigh this Christmas, sadly you won't be able to stream from abroad or access BBC iPlayer.

But you needn’t miss the uproarious festive antics of Mrs Brown this year. While geo-restrictions will prevent you from accessing certain services and content, you can get around these by downloading a VPN or Virtual Private Network.

It's completely legal, very affordable, and easy to use. Plus, it also encrypts your browsing and offers additional protection against cybercriminals.

Use a VPN to watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 online from anywhere

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You can also use it across a huge range of devices, including Android and Apple smartphones, the Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation. If you want to stay safe online and watch your preferred broadcast from anywhere, you won't find anything better than ExpressVPN.

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Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...

1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location (a server in the UK in this case)

3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to BBC iPlayer and start watching Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special 2021 as if you were back at home

Can I watch Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 online anywhere else in the world?

Unless you’re a UK citizen, it looks unlikely that Santa will be bringing the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2021 to your country on or around December 25.

At the height of Mrs Brown’s Boys’ popularity, the series aired on BBC Canada, BBC America, and the Seven Network in Australia. The Christmas specials, however, don’t seem to get an international broadcast until months later. At least, that was the case for Australia’s Seven Network, which aired last year’s December special in April 2021.

However, there’s some good news for international fans. Each season of Mrs Brown's Boys and all previously broadcast specials are available to stream on BritBox in America, Canada and Australia, for $6.99, CAD$8.99, and AUS$8.99 per month respectively. And new subscribers are entitled to a 7-day FREE trial before splashing the cash. Get in!

Meanwhile, we expect you’ll have to wait at least a few months before the 2021 Christmas special is added to the Brit-tastic streaming platform.

Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.