BBC sitcom that’s “cut above others” with Doctor Who star confirms exciting news after huge success

The popular sitcom Can You Keep a Secret?, starring Dawn French, is coming back for another season. The first season, which premiered in January, was a big hit, becoming one of the most successful comedy launches on BBC iPlayer since 2024 with 3.3 million viewers in its first 28 days.

The show, created and written by Simon Mayhew-Archer, centers on a couple, Debbie (played by French) and William Fendon (played by Mark Heap). The story begins when William is wrongly reported as deceased.

Debbie and William choose to hide an error and claim life insurance money, hoping to secure their finances. This decision creates immense pressure and hardship for their son, Harry.

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I’m so excited! The BBC just announced that Can You Keep a Secret? is coming back for another season! Thankfully, all my favorite actors – French, Heap, and Roberts – are returning, and they’re adding Mandip Gill as Neha, which I think will be amazing.

Further casting details and a release date are yet to be announced.

Dawn French, known for her role in Vicar of Dibley, expressed her excitement about the show being renewed for a second series. She joked that she’s thrilled to have more opportunities for her character, Debbie, to be bossy and cause trouble – which she sees as a very good thing!

Archer shared that making the series was a truly happy experience. He emphasized that comedy is a collaborative effort, praising his co-stars Dawn, Mark, Craig, Mandip, and the entire cast and crew as fantastic to work with. As a sitcom fan, he hopes to see more shows like this on television and expressed his gratitude to viewers for embracing the characters and the show itself.

We’re hoping our success encourages the creation of more comedy shows throughout the UK. Comedy is a real strength of our country, and it’s something we should definitely support!

Jon Petrie, who commissions comedies for the BBC, said viewers really loved Can You Keep a Secret?. He praised Dawn French and the entire team for creating a funny and heartwarming show that clearly resonated with people.

We’re thrilled to announce a second season and are excited for more mysteries to be revealed.

French shared that she was drawn to the series because of its unique blend of comedy and suspense. She explained that successfully combining those two genres is challenging, but the show manages to be both funny and explore the complex relationships within a quirky family who stumbled into a major crime.

Filming for series two is set to begin later this year in the West Country.

Can You Keep a Secret? season one is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.

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2026-02-19 15:19