MRS Brown's Boys star Eilish O'Carroll has revealed that the actors put their jobs on the line when they ad lib in the show.
The hit RTE sitcom, written by her brother Brendan O'Carroll, is known for its unpredictable moments.
But Dubliner Eilish explained how the stars don't go off script without thinking twice about it.
She said on RTE's Today Show: " Brendan is the ad libber. We would ad lib and take our jobs' notice sometimes.
"You think, 'Can I get away with this or will he go, 'you're out of here, we can replace you'?'
"But I think the audience love the ad libbing and they love when something goes wrong.
"And when you genuinely get something wrong, Brendan is very forgiving but he doesn't let you off the hook.
"He won't let it go. He'll go, 'Oh that was easy for you to say Winnie', even though I've mixed up all the lines.
"I think that's the charm of the show and lets the audience at home know: don't take this for real. We're pretending here. This is fun for all of us and this isn't real life.
"But we're all having the craic and I think the audience really appreciate that.
"Audiences are very forgiving as long as you include them. If you try and hide your mistakes, it's like, 'do you think I'm not here? Do you think I'm stupid?'
"So I think you really have to own up and say, 'Guys I really got that wrong'."
Eilish told how the actors put their jobs on the line when they go off script
BACK WITH LIVE AUDIENCE
And the highly anticipated Christmas and New Year's specials will return after Mrs Brown's Boys returned for a live broadcast at Halloween.
These will differ from last year as the show was performed in front of a live audience which wasn't allowed in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Eilish admitted the cast was lost without a reaction in studio.
She said of this year's show: "It was lovely, especially to have the audience.
"Last year we did the Christmas specials but we couldn't have an audience in and that was really weird because we feed off an audience.
"The live audience makes you feel like you're back in a theatre because you're getting that instant response. It was great craic.
"We were five weeks in Glasgow doing the Christmas special and the New Year's Eve special and the live broadcast as well.
PLAYING WINNIE
"You couldn't do it without an audience which is why we felt very much at a loss last year.
"There were a few people in but nothing like the crowd we're used which was difficult for all of us.
"You have the gag line then nothing. You don't know whether it was funny or if it wasn't funny."
Eilish, who plays Winnie McGoogan, also told how her character is based on a friend of her mother.
The 69-year-old said: "She is except that my mum's friend was quite bright bright and Winnie comes across as quite dim.
"But I love her. I think she's just an adorable character and I think she pretends she's dim but I think underneath it all she's cute out."
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