British mentalist and illusionist Derren Brown is set to star in a major guest role on The Simpsons in an upcoming episode, and it’s being called one of the biggest guest appearances in the show’s history.
To celebrate 35 years since The Simpsons first aired, the show will drop a special two-part Christmas episode on December 17th, exactly on the same day it premiered back in 1989. The episode, titled “O C’Mon All Ye Faithful,” will see Homer get hypnotized by Brown, who plays himself, and believe he’s actually Santa Claus.
Brown, who’s 53, called the opportunity “the best thing that’s happened in my life so far.” He mentioned that he was in the middle of writing his new live show, Only Human, when he got the call to join The Simpsons. He joked about whether this meant he no longer needed to write his new show, but he quickly clarified that was not the case, even saying he wouldn’t mind putting on some yellow makeup for the role.
Carolyn Omine, a writer for The Simpsons, said that in terms of lines and screen time, this guest role is one of the biggest they’ve ever had, adding that Brown is “fantastic, charming, and very funny” in the episode.
The first Simpsons episode, which also aired around Christmas time, was called “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” and was a huge hit, earning two Emmy nominations the following year.
This exciting news comes just after another big announcement: Pamela Hayden, who’s voiced many characters on the show, including Milhouse Van Houten, will be retiring after 35 years. Hayden, who’s appeared in nearly 700 episodes, said her final goodbye on the show will be in the Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes episode, airing on November 24th.
In a heartfelt statement, Hayden, 70, shared how much the show has meant to her, especially her time voicing Milhouse, calling it “an honor and a joy” to be part of such a groundbreaking show. The Simpsons will soon begin looking for a new voice actor to take on her characters.
It’s an exciting time for The Simpsons, with big changes and celebrations ahead!