Dawn French has shared her desire to work with Jennifer Saunders again, describing her as ‘naughty,’ and criticized the current lack of funding for British comedy.
The 68-year-old actress, comedian, and writer is famous for co-creating and starring in the BBC sketch comedy show French and Saunders alongside her close friend and comedic partner, Jennifer.
Dawn has excited her fans by suggesting she’d love to collaborate with Jennifer on writing again.
Dawn told Good Housekeeping UK that she and Jennifer chat annually about potential projects they could work on together.
We’re tossing around a lot of ideas – a sitcom, a comedy series… but are we even motivated to write one? Perhaps a documentary would be better? We’ve also considered taking the podcast live, though I’m not sure that’s ever been done before.
We’ll need five wigs and eight sets of false teeth. Everything Jennifer and I do is very elaborate, even if it ultimately just seems like two friends chatting.
She expressed strong interest in the project, emphasizing the importance of getting good value for the money spent. She also mentioned she really enjoys spending time with Jennifer and welcomes the opportunity to do so again.
Dawn excitedly shared how much she loved her best friend, saying, ‘She has a way of making me laugh that no one else can. She just gets my sense of humor and knows exactly what to say to cheer me up.’
Whenever we meet, we end up discussing the same topics we covered months ago. We rehash old stories, embellish details, and unfortunately, often engage in unkind gossip and exaggeration. It’s a bit of a chaotic time, but Jennifer always brightens my day.
Dawn believes the recent decline in British comedy is simply due to a lack of funding.
“It all comes down to money,” she explained. “I’m older now and not as involved in British comedy as I used to be, but there’s less investment in supporting talented performers and writers these days.”
She explained that they were allowed the time to try different approaches and perfect their work. She believes producers should trust their teams and give them the freedom to develop and improve.
Dawn was quick to point out the comedians she appreciates, and playfully admitted that her age might mean she’s a little out of touch.
I know a lot of talented people with great ideas who struggle to actually bring their projects to life,” she explained. “I don’t mean to imply that good comedy doesn’t exist – it definitely does.
I’m a big fan of Would I Lie To You?. Sharon Horgan and Aisling Bea are both brilliant on the show. I also enjoy Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett. It’s great to see so many talented young women coming up, like Beattie Edmondson – Jennifer’s daughter – who’s part of the hilarious comedy group Birthday Girls.
‘Perhaps I’m just not aware of what’s out there…’
This follows the premiere of Dawn’s latest BBC sitcom, Can You Keep A Secret?, which gave viewers a sneak peek at her upcoming projects.
The new six-episode comedy centers around Debbie Fenton, played by Dawn, who pretends to be a widow when she’s actually not.
I was completely shocked when I heard about it! Apparently, there was a mix-up and my friend’s husband, William, was wrongly reported as deceased. It was awful, but honestly, a lot of us in the retirement community saw it as a chance to finally liven things up a bit.
William intends to stay hidden in the attic until the insurance money arrives, after which he and his partner hope to enjoy a quiet retirement.
The story also features Harry, played by Craig Roberts, who is Debbie and William’s stressed-out son and has a family of his own.
Things get even more complicated because Harry’s wife, Neha, is a police officer. This could create problems if she finds out what his family is secretly doing.
Will the Fentons be able to keep their secret, or will the truth come out?
Written by Simon Mayhew-Archer, Can You Keep A Secret? is both set and filmed in the West Country.
The show is expected to premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in early 2026.
The full interview can be read in the Good Housekeeping Christmas TV Guide
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2025-12-09 19:51