Mrs Brown's Boys' Rory Cowan leaves the show after 26 years

Rory Cowan plays one of Dublin matriarch Agnes Brown's sons in the hit show Mrs Brown's Boys - or, at least, he did until Sunday night.

He told the Irish Daily Mail that he originally "handed in his notice" with veteran Brown's Boys creator and star Brendan O'Carroll on June 16, and hoped to leave at the end of that week.

Cowan said the O'Carroll "said that would be impossible and asked if I'd stay on until the end of the London O2 gigs. So I agreed to that."

"I hadn't been happy working for the Mrs Brown's Boys company for the last 18 months to two years. I feel that 26 years is enough so I decided it was time to go."

Cowan had been with O'Carroll's company for 26 years. He refused to comment on the reasons for his unhappiness, but said "I did the final show, packed my stuff into a small Waitrose plastic bag and just left the venue."

The last shows on the UK live leg have been marked by Cowan cracking into laughter in parts. This has been well received by fans and audiences who consider it a highlight:

@1rorycowan just can't keep himself together on stage @ the #o2 so funny lol. Good show though ?? keep it up ?

— Dan (@danrjacobs) July 9, 2017

Saw the show in Newcastle @1rorycowan made the night ! I nearly laughed a kidney

— Paul Blades (@boyblades) July 8, 2017

@1rorycowan so funny. I laugh more at you laughing than I do the sketch. Thanks for making me laugh so much?

— GILLIAN DONOTHEY (@GDD125) July 8, 2017

Cowan has said that he does not have work lined up at present, and wants to enjoy time off for now, but would be open to doing a weekend radio slot in the future.