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{{Short description|British actress, comedian and writer (born 1957)}}
{{Infobox actor
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
| bgcolour =
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
| name = Dawn French
{{Infobox person
| image = <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: Dawn-french.jpg -->
| imagesizename = 250 × 249 pixel = Dawn French
| captionimage = Dawn French 3.jpg
| birthnamecaption = Dawn Roma = French in 2005
| birthdatebirth_name = {{birth date and age|1957|10|11}}= Dawn Roma French
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|10|11|df=y}}
| ___location = {{flagicon|Wales}} [[Holyhead]], [[Wales]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]
| spousebirth_place = [[Lenny HenryHolyhead]], Wales
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|comedian|writer}}
| notable role = '''Various''' in <br>''[[French & Saunders]]''<br>(1987&ndash;2005)<br>'''[[The Vicar of Dibley#Geraldine Granger|Geraldine Granger]]''' in <br>''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]''<br>(1994&ndash;2007)
| education = [[Central School of Speech and Drama]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| notable_works = ''[[The Comic Strip Presents...]]''<br/>''[[French and Saunders]]''<br />''[[Murder Most Horrid]]''<br/>''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]''
| years_active = 1981–present
| spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Lenny Henry]]|1984|2010|end=div}}<br />{{marriage|Mark Bignell|22 April 2013}}}}
| children = 1
| awards = [[BAFTA Fellowship]] (2009)
}}
'''Dawn Roma French'''<ref>''[http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/189/189410_dawn_french_i_just_had_a_lot_of_fun.html Dawn French: I just had a lot of fun]'' &mdash; manchestereveningnews.co.uk</ref> (born [[11 October]] [[1957]]) is a [[BAFTA Television Award|BAFTA Award]]-nominated [[United Kingdom|British]] [[comedian]] and [[actor|actress]] best known for appearing in her comedy sketch show ''[[French & Saunders]]'' along with her comedy partner [[Jennifer Saunders]], and for playing the lead role in ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]'' as [[The Vicar of Dibley#Geraldine Granger|Geraldine Granger]].
 
'''Dawn Roma French'''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/189/189410_dawn_french_i_just_had_a_lot_of_fun.html |title=Dawn French: "I just had a lot of fun" |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930163745/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/189/189410_dawn_french_i_just_had_a_lot_of_fun.html |archivedate=30 September 2007 |work=Manchester Evening News |accessdate= 11 May 2007}}</ref> (born 11 October 1957) is a British actress, comedian and writer. She is known for writing and starring on the [[BBC]] sketch comedy series ''[[French and Saunders]]'' (1987–2007) with her best friend and comedy partner [[Jennifer Saunders]], and for starring in the BBC comedy anthology series ''[[Murder Most Horrid]]'' (1991–1999) and the BBC sitcom ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]'' (1994–2007). French has been nominated for seven [[British Academy Television Awards]] and won a [[BAFTA Fellowship]] with Saunders in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/television/awards/french-saunders-bafta-fellowship-2009|title=French & Saunders BAFTA Fellowship 2009|date=28 December 2011|website=bafta.org|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>
==Biography==
===Early life===
French was born in [[Holyhead]], [[Anglesey]], [[Wales]] and educated at a boarding school in [[Plymouth]], [[Devon]], [[England]]. Her father, Denys, was a member of the [[Royal Air Force]], and the Force partly funded her private education.<ref name="fansite"> ''[http://dawnfrench.tripod.com/biography.html Dawn French bio]'' &mdash; DawnFrenchOnline</ref> She later won a debating scholarship where she studied in [[New York]]<ref name="fansite"/> and then went on to attend [[Central School of Speech and Drama|London's Central School of Speech and Drama]], aspiring to become a drama teacher.<ref name="screenonline"> ''[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/499480/index.html Dawn French]'' &mdash; screenonline.org.uk</ref> It was there that she met her comedy partner [[Jennifer Saunders]].<ref name="screenonline"/> Both French and Saunders would eventually come to public attention as members of ''[[The Comic Strip]]'', part of the [[alternative comedy]] scene in the early 1980s.
 
==Early life==
French was born on 11 October 1957 in [[Holyhead]], Wales, to English parents Felicity Roma (née O'Brien; 1934 – 2012)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/316187/Dawn-French-I-ve-lost-the-mum-who-inspired-me|title=Dawn French: I've lost the mum who inspired me|last=Carpenter|first=Julie|date=24 April 2012|work=Daily Express}}</ref> and Denys Vernon French (5 August 1932 – 11 September 1977),<ref>Births, Marriages and Deaths Index – England & Wales</ref> who married in their home town of [[Plymouth]] in 1953. French has an older brother, Gary. Her father served in the [[Royal Air Force]], stationed at [[RAF Valley]] and later [[RAF Leconfield]], where [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] went to tea at French's home when French was three years old. RAF archive footage of this event was included in French's comedy tour/video ''Thirty Million Minutes''.
 
The RAF partly funded French's private education.<ref name="fansite">{{cite web|url=http://dawnfrench.tripod.com/biography.html|title=Dawn French – introduction|date=31 January 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000131055909/http://dawnfrench.tripod.com/biography.html|archive-date=31 January 2000}}</ref> When her father was stationed at [[RAF Faldingworth]], French attended [[Caistor Grammar School]] for one year. She later attended boarding school at [[St Dunstan's Abbey|St Dunstan's Abbey School for Girls]] in Plymouth (since absorbed by [[Plymouth College]]), where she was a member of Downton house. After finishing her schooling, she spent a year studying at the [[Spence School]] in New York on a debating scholarship that she won while at school.<ref name="fansite"/>
 
French has said that her self-confidence and self-belief stem from her father, who told her how beautiful she was each day.<ref name="farewell">{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2223828.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516222824/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2223828.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 May 2008 |title=Home Page – The TLS |work=[[The Times]] |access-date=20 September 2018}}</ref> She stated, "He taught me to value myself. He told me that I was beautiful and the most precious thing in his life."<ref name="mighty">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/12/31/do3109.xml |title=Opinion |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=16 March 2016 |access-date=20 September 2018}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Denys had a history of [[severe depression]] and made two suicide attempts, but managed to conceal his illness from Dawn and Gary.<ref name="farewell"/> When French was 19, her father died by suicide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10828400/Dawn-French-It-was-like-a-bomb-went-off-in-our-family.html|title=Dawn French: 'It was like a bomb went off in our family'|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=16 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516213112/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/10828400/Dawn-French-It-was-like-a-bomb-went-off-in-our-family.html|archive-date=16 May 2014}}</ref>
 
In 1977, French began studying drama at [[Royal Central School of Speech and Drama]], where she met her future comedy partner, [[Jennifer Saunders]].<ref name="farewell"/><ref name="screenonline"/> Both came from RAF backgrounds. They had grown up on the same camps, even having had the same best friend, although never meeting.<ref name="looking">{{cite news|first=Decca |last=Aitkenhead |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1241436,00.html |title="What are you looking at?" |work=The Guardian |date=19 June 2004 |accessdate= 5 October 2007}}</ref> Saunders recalled her first perception of French was that she was a "cocky little upstart"; French considered Saunders to be snooty and aloof.<ref name="looking"/> The comic duo originally did not like each other as French wanted to become a drama teacher<ref name="screenonline">{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/499480/index.html |title=Dawn French |website= screenonline.org.uk |accessdate= 10 May 2007}}</ref> whereas Saunders loathed the idea and thus disliked French for being enthusiastic and confident about the course.<ref name="farewell"/>
 
French and Saunders shared a flat while at college and were influenced to do comedy by their flatmates as part of their projects for college. After talking in depth for the first time, they came to be friends.<ref name="farewell"/> While at college, French broke up with her fiancé, a former [[Royal Navy]] officer. After French and Saunders graduated from the Royal Central School, they decided to form a double-act called the Menopause Sisters. Saunders has described the act, which involved wearing [[tampons]] in their ears, as "cringeworthy".<ref>{{cite book|last=French, Dawn.|title=Dear Fatty|year=2009|orig-year=2008|publisher=Arrow Books|isbn=978-0-09-951947-8|___location=London|oclc=813008093}}</ref> The manager of the club recalled, "They didn't seem to give a damn. There was no star quality about them at all."<ref name="looking"/>
 
==Career==
===Television===
====1980s====
French has had an extensive career on television, debuting on [[Channel 4]]'s ''[[The Comic Strip Presents]]'' series in an episode called ''Five Go Mad in Dorset'' in 1982.<ref name="screenonline"/> Each episode presented a self-contained story distinct from other episodes, and showcased [[Comic Strip]] performers [[Peter Richardson]], [[Rik Mayall]], and [[Robbie Coltrane]] and [[Adrian Edmondson]], in addition to Saunders and French. One week featured a parody of spaghetti westerns, and another, a black and white film about a hopelessly goofy boy. Some of French's first exposure to a wider audience occurred when comedy producer [[Martin Lewis]] recorded a ''Comic Strip'' record album in Spring 1981, which featured skits by ''French & Saunders''. The album was released on Springtime!/Island Records in September 1981. The album presented Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders to an audience outside London. In 1985, French starred in ''[[Girls On Top]]'' with Saunders, [[Tracey Ullman]] and [[Ruby Wax]] which portrayed four eccentric women sharing a flat in [[London]].<ref name="screenonline"/>
French has had an extensive career on television, debuting on [[Channel 4]]'s ''[[The Comic Strip Presents]]'' series in an episode called "Five Go Mad in Dorset" in 1982.<ref name="screenonline"/> Each episode presented a self-contained story and, in addition to French and Saunders, showcased [[The Comic Strip|Comic Strip]] performers [[Peter Richardson (British director)|Peter Richardson]], [[Rik Mayall]], [[Nigel Planer]], [[Robbie Coltrane]] and [[Adrian Edmondson]]. She acted in 27 of the 37 episodes and wrote two of them.<ref name="screenonline"/> One episode featured a parody of spaghetti westerns and another a black and white film about a hopelessly goofy boy. Some of French's first exposure to a wider audience occurred when comedy producer [[Martin Lewis (humorist)|Martin Lewis]] recorded a ''Comic Strip'' record album in 1981 which featured sketches by French & Saunders. The album was released on Springtime!/Island Records in September 1981 and presented French and Jennifer Saunders to an audience outside London. In 1985, French starred with Saunders, [[Tracey Ullman]], [[Ruby Wax]] and [[Joan Greenwood]] in ''[[Girls on Top (British TV series)|Girls on Top]]'', which portrayed four eccentric women sharing a flat in London.<ref name="screenonline"/>
 
SheFrench has also co-written and starred in theher successfuland Saunders' comedy series, ''[[French & Saunders]]'' with Saunders, which debuted in 1987 and still airs sporadically to this day.<ref name="screenonline"/> On their show, the duo have spoofed many celebrities such as [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], [[Cher]] and, [[Catherine Zeta-Jones]] and theythe [[Spice Girls]]. They have also parodied films in the series such as ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film trilogyseries)|The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[Star Wars]]'' and ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''.[[Image:DawnFrench CatherineZetaJones.JPG|thumb|250px|DawnAfter French20 asyears [[Catherine Zeta-Jones]]being on television together, their sketch series ''A Bucket o' French & Saunders'']], began airing on 8 September 2007.<ref name="farewell"/>
 
====1990s====
French and Saunders have also followed separate careers. During French's time starring in ''[[Murder Most Horrid]]'' from 1991 to 1999, she would play a different character each week, whether it was the murderer, victim or even both.<ref name="screenonline"/> She also appeared in the BBC sitcom ''[[Wild West (sitcom)|Wild West]]'' along with [[Catherine Tate]],<ref>''[http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/wildwest Wild West]'' &mdash; bbc.co.uk</ref> in which she plays a woman living in [[Cornwall]] who is a [[lesbian]] more through lack of choice than any specific natural urge. This series was not met with as much success as her earlier role, ending after two years in [[2004]]. Prior to that, in [[2002]], French appeared in the comedy/drama mini-series ''Ted and Alice''.
French and Saunders have also followed separate careers. During French's time starring in ''[[Murder Most Horrid]]'', from 1991 to 1999, she played a different character each week, whether it was the murderer, victim, or both.<ref name="screenonline"/>
 
However, French's biggest solo television role to date has been as the title figure in the long -running and popular [[BBC]] comedy ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]'', created bywhich [[Richard Curtis]]. Shecreated starredfor asher. [[The Vicarshow ofbegan Dibley#Geraldinein 1994. She stars as Granger|Geraldine Granger]], a vicar of a small fictional village called Dibley. InAn the final full-length episodeaudience of the well-known series, 12.3 &nbsp;million people watched the final full-length episode, to see her character's marry Harrymarriage Kennedyceremony.<ref>''[{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6225745.stm |title=Dibley's Farewell is ratings hit]'' &mdash;|work= bbc.co.ukBBC News |date=2 January 2007 |accessdate= 8 March 2007}}</ref> HerShe last appearanceappeared on ''The Vicar of Dibley'' was with [[Sting]]Damian and [[Trudie StylerLewis]] in a special mini -episode made for [[Comic Relief]] in 20072013. She was nominated for a [[BAFTA Television Award|BAFTA]] for "bestBest comedyComedy performance"Performance in the last episode of ''The Vicar of Dibley''. Repeats of the show on BBC One still attract millions of viewers and it also retains a following amongst [[PBS]] viewers in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?report=weeklyterrestrial&RequestTimeout=500 |title=Weekly Viewing Summary. W.e 26/<!-- part of title -->08/07 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329144324/http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?report=weeklyterrestrial&requesttimeout=500 |archivedate=29 March 2007 |website=barb.co.uk |accessdate= 5 September 2007}}</ref> Although the main series ended in 2007, the show has returned for numerous short special episodes since, the latest four of which aired in December 2020.
 
In 1995, she appeared as a talk-show host in a Comic Relief sketch called ''Dawn'', written by [[Victoria Wood]]. The sketch also featured Wood herself, [[Celia Imrie]], [[Lill Roughley]], [[Anne Reid]], [[Philip Lowrie]], Robert Kingswell, Bryan Burdon, [[Duncan Preston]], [[Jim Broadbent]], and [[Lynda Bellingham]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUysMWVbLT8&t=2s&ab_channel=DistantCousin%7B%7BBare+url+inline%7Cdate=December+2022%7D%7D|title="Dawn": Victoria Wood/Dawn French sketch: Comic Relief 1995|via=YouTube |date=31 March 2015 |accessdate=18 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/comedy/a791394/dawn-french-pays-moving-tribute-to-victoria-wood-following-her-death/|title=Dawn French pays moving tribute to Victoria Wood following her death|first=Bea|last=Mitchell|website=[[Digital Spy]] |date=20 April 2016|accessdate=18 December 2022}}</ref>
More recently, in 2006, French played a major role in ''[[Jam & Jerusalem]]'' as a woman called Rosie who had an [[alter ego]]. She co-starred alongside [[Sue Johnston]], [[Jennifer Saunders]] and [[Joanna Lumley]]. French also made a guest appearance in ''[[Little Britain]]'' as [[Vicky Pollard]]'s mother Shelly Pollard, who was seen defending her daughter in the dock in Thailand as she was charged with drug smuggling, and was sentenced to 20 years, 10 more than her daughter. French also appeared in a special version of ''[[Little Britain Live]]'' which featured several celebrity guests and was shown by the BBC as part of [[Comic Relief]]. She played the part of a lesbian barmaid in a sketch with [[Daffyd Thomas]].<ref>''[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6175608.stm Model Moss joins Little Britain]'' &mdash; news.bbc.co.uk</ref>
 
====2000s====
With ''The Vicar of Dibley'' now officially ending, French is readying for a new television comedy in [[2007]], in which she will star, ''High Table''. French will play the head in an [[Oxbridge]] college.<ref>''[http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2006/07/06/4313/it's_don_french It's Don French]'' &mdash; chortle.co.uk</ref> It has recently been reported that French has sold her autobiography for £1.5 million, due to be released sometime in 2008.<ref>''[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/biography/article1597653.ece Dawn French's £1.5m memoirs]'' &mdash; timesonline.co.uk</ref>
In 2002, French appeared in the comedy/drama mini-series ''Ted and Alice''. In the series, set in the [[Lake District]], French played a tourist information officer who falls in love with an alien.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/previews/index_ted_alice.shtml|title=BBC – Comedy – Ted and Alice|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> She appeared once in the Saunders led sitcom ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]'' as TV interviewer Kathy in 1992, a parody of [[Lorraine Kelly]], she reprised that role for ''[[Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie]]'' in 2016 as a more established veteran journalist as Kelly is now. She also appeared in the BBC sitcom ''[[Wild West (sitcom)|Wild West]]'', with [[Catherine Tate]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/profiles/catherine_tate.shtml |title=Catherine Tate profile |publisher= BBC | accessdate= 26 May 2007}}</ref> in which she played a woman living in [[Cornwall]] who is a lesbian, more through lack of choice than any specific natural urge. This series did not meet with as much success as her earlier roles and it ended in 2004 after two years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/oct/23/firstnight.broadcasting|title=Wild West|date=23 October 2002|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
 
French played a major role in ''[[Jam & Jerusalem]]'' as a woman called Rosie who has [[dissociative identity disorder]] and with it an [[alter ego]] called "Margaret". She co-starred alongside [[Sue Johnston]], [[Jennifer Saunders]] (who also created and wrote the series) and [[Joanna Lumley]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006ncn0|title=BBC One – Jam and Jerusalem|publisher=BBC|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> She made a guest appearance in ''[[Little Britain (TV series)|Little Britain]]'' as [[Vicky Pollard]]'s mother. French also appeared in a special version of ''[[Little Britain Live]]'' which featured several celebrity guests and was shown by the BBC as part of [[Comic Relief]]. She played the part of a lesbian barmaid in a sketch with [[Daffyd Thomas]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6175608.stm |title=Model Moss joins Little Britain |work=BBC News | accessdate= 4 June 2007}}</ref>
===Film, theatre and advertising===
In films, French has played [[Portrait (Harry Potter)#The Fat Lady|The Fat Lady]] in the film adaptation of ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''<ref>''[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2934123.stm Dawn French takes Potter role]'' &mdash; news.bbc.co.uk</ref>, replacing the less well-known actress, [[Elizabeth Spriggs]], who played the character in the first film of the series. French's husband, [[Lenny Henry]], provided the voice of the Shrunken Head in the same film, though they did not share any screen time together. In [[2005]] French provided the voice for the character [[Mrs. Beaver]] in Disney and Walden Media's film adaptation of [[C. S. Lewis]]' ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]''.
 
In 2006, French appeared in ''[[Agatha Christie's Marple]]'' in the 2006 episode "[[Sleeping Murder]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/qj9r/agatha-christies-marple--s2-e1-sleeping-murder/|title=Agatha Christie's Marple – S2 – Episode 1: Sleeping Murder|website=Radio Times|access-date=12 April 2020|archive-date=12 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412135332/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/qj9r/agatha-christies-marple--s2-e1-sleeping-murder/|url-status=dead}}</ref> She appeared as Caroline Arless in the BBC television drama ''[[Lark Rise to Candleford (TV series)|Lark Rise to Candleford]]'' in 2008. Talking about her role, she has stated, "I'm quite a vibrant character. She's quite extreme, in that she drinks too much, laughs too much and sings too much. But she loves her family very much; it's just that she goes over the top sometimes."<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/12_december/17/lark_french.shtml |title=Lark Rise To Candleford|publisher=BBC |accessdate= 30 December 2007}}</ref>
She has also taken to roles in the theatre. French has previously played roles in plays such as ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', ''[[My Brilliant Divorce]]'' and ''[[Smaller]]'', which is a play about a schoolteacher caring for her disabled mother. January 2007 saw French performing as the Duchesse de Crackentorp in an [[opera]] in the [[Royal Opera House]], [[Covent Garden]], [[London]]. The opera production was ''[[The Daughter of the Regiment]]'' (''[[La fille du régiment]]'') by [[Gaetano Donizetti]], which depicted the life of a baby adopted by an army regiment. [[France|French]] soprano [[Natalie Dessay]] and the Peruvian tenor [[Juan Diego Flórez]] took the roles which required singing.<ref>''[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6194487.stm Dawn French to make opera debut]'' &mdash; news.bbc.co.uk</ref>
 
====2010s====
French is also known for her larger figure and for her efforts to promote the notion that "big" can be beautiful. As a result, she has her own line of clothes, Sixteen47, taking its name from the statistic that 47% of the British female population are at least a size 16. The line aims to produce clothes designed to look flattering on larger women. Due to her size and admitted chocoholism, she was chosen as the face of [[Terry's Chocolate Orange]], using the slogan "It's not Terry's, it's mine", which has recently been replaced with "Don't tap it, whack it!"
In late 2010, French starred in ''[[Roger & Val Have Just Got In]]'' with actor [[Alfred Molina]], which aired for two series.<ref>{{cite news|last=Frost|first=Vicky|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/mar/09/roger-val-just-got-in|title=Have you been watching … Roger & Val Have Just Got In?|date=9 March 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
 
French appeared in ''Little Crackers'', short comedy films which were broadcast over Christmas in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sky1.sky.com/little-crackers-dawn-french-exclusive-clip|title=Sky TV |publisher=Sky UK}}</ref>
===Recognition===
In 2001, French was offered an [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]]. However, both she and Saunders declined the offer to receive the OBE.<ref>''[http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_a_l/yasmin_alibhai_brown/article83585.ece It is an honour to stand among the refuseniks]'' &mdash; independent.co.uk</ref> In 2003, she was listed in ''[[The Observer]]'' as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.
 
French appeared as a special guest on [[Michael Bublé]]'s ''Home For Christmas'' in December 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consent.yahoo.com/collectConsent?sessionId=1_cc-session_2d6e4d95-5a74-413d-88b7-0aa487da8018&lang=en-gb&inline=false|title=HuffPost is now a part of Verizon Media|publisher=Yahoo|access-date=12 April 2020}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In July 2012, she was a judge in ITV's ''[[Superstar (British TV series)|Superstar]]'' live shows.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2012/07/15/dawn-french-proves-a-hit-with-superstar-viewers-on-twitter-495352/|title=Dawn French proves a hit with Superstar viewers on Twitter|date=15 July 2012|website=Metro|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> In March 2013, it was announced that French would replace [[Brian McFadden]] on the judging panel of [[Nine Network]]'s ''[[Australia's Got Talent]]'' alongside [[Kyle Sandilands]], [[Geri Halliwell]] (who replaced [[Dannii Minogue]]) and [[Timomatic]] who is the additional fourth judge.<ref name="AGT">{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/comedian-dawn-french-to-be-judge-on-channel-nine-revamped-australias-got-talent-series/story-e6frfmyi-1226600087083 |title=Comedian Dawn French to be judge on Channel Nine revamped Australia's Got Talent series |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318131658/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/comedian-dawn-french-to-be-judge-on-channel-nine-revamped-australias-got-talent-series/story-e6frfmyi-1226600087083 |archivedate=18 March 2013 |website=NEWS.com.au |accessdate= 18 March 2013}}</ref> French departed the show after one series and was replaced by [[Kelly Osbourne]].
===Personal life===
French met her future husband [[Lenny Henry]] on the alternative comedy circuit. The couple married on [[20 October]], [[1984]], and have an adopted daughter, Billie. The couple have a home in [[Spencers Wood]] at [[Shinfield]], near [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], in [[Berkshire]] but have put it on the market in light of their purchase of a home close to Dawn's mother in [[Fowey]], [[Cornwall]].<ref>''[http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline=dawn-%2D-lenny%2Ds-%2Dpound%2D2%2D4m-mansion-%26method=full%26objectid=18046803%26siteid=62484-name_page.html Dawn & Lenny's £2.4m mansion]'' &mdash; sundaymirror.co.uk</ref>
 
From 2016 until 2019, French starred in three series of ''[[Delicious (TV series)|Delicious]]'' on [[Sky 1]], co-starring as a talented cook who is having an affair with her celebrity chef ex-husband ([[Iain Glen]]) who has remarried and started a successful hotel business with his new wife ([[Emilia Fox]]) in [[Cornwall]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/cdb825be-8039-4c6e-9446-3b03b995fc4b/delicious|title=Delicious|website=Sky|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>
==Filmography==
 
[[Image: Dawn_grimreaper_murdermosthorrid.jpg‎|thumb|250px|French as the blond haired, pink-suited [[Death (personification)|grim reaper]] in her black comedy, ''[[Murder Most Horrid]]'']]
====2020s====
*''[[The Comic Strip]]'' TV series/made-for-TV movies (1981)
In 2020, she appeared in the six-part series ''[[The Trouble with Maggie Cole]]'' alongside [[Mark Heap]].
*''[[The Young Ones]]'' TV series (1982-1984)
 
*''[[Girls On Top]]'' (1985-1986)
In 2021, French appeared as a celebrity guest judge on the [[RuPaul's Drag Race UK (series 2)|second series]] of ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race UK]]'', where she judged the final five contestants, [[Lawrence Chaney]], [[Bimini Bon-Boulash]], [[Tayce]], [[Ellie Diamond]] and [[A'Whora]], on their comedy stand-up routines.<ref>{{cite web|date=4 March 2021|title=RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Dawn French makes shady joke about Jennifer Saunders|url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/03/04/rupauls-drag-race-uk-dawn-french-makes-shady-jennifer-saunders-joke-14190301/|access-date=11 March 2021|website=Metro}}</ref>
*''[[Eat the Rich]]'' (1987)
 
*''[[French and Saunders]]'' TV series (1988)
===Film===
*''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]'' TV series (1992)
In 1996, French appeared in ''[[The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996 film)|The Adventures of Pinocchio]]'' as "The Baker's Wife" alongside [[Martin Landau]] and star [[Jonathan Taylor Thomas]]. French played [[The Fat Lady]] in the film adaptation of ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2934123.stm |title=Dawn French takes Potter role |work= BBC News |date=10 April 2003 |accessdate= 23 May 2007}}</ref> replacing [[Elizabeth Spriggs]], who played the character in the first film of the series. French's then-husband, [[Lenny Henry]], provided the voice of the Shrunken Head in the same film, though they shared no screen time. In 2005, French provided the voice for the character [[Mrs. Beaver]] in Disney and Walden Media's film adaptation of [[C. S. Lewis]]' ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]].''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a27243/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe.html |title=The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe |work=Digital Spy |date=11 December 2005 |accessdate= 8 September 2007}}</ref> In 2010, French lent her voice to the role of Angie the Elephant in the English dub of the German-British environmental animated film ''[[Animals United]]''.
*''[[Murder Most Horrid]]'' TV series (1991-1999)
 
*''[[Sex & Chocolate]]'' TV show (1997)
===Theatre===
*''[[David Copperfield (1999_film)|David Copperfield]]'' (1999)
She has also taken roles in the theatre. French has appeared in plays such as ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'',<ref>{{cite news|last=Billington|first=Michael|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2001/mar/24/theatre.artsfeatures|title=Theatre review: A Midsummer Night's Dream|date=24 March 2001|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> ''My Brilliant Divorce,''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/my-brilliant-divorce-with-dawn-french-at-apollo-from-14-feb-03|title=My Brilliant Divorce with Dawn French at Apollo from 14 Feb 03|date=8 June 2016|website=London Theatre Guide|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> and ''Smaller,''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/smaller|title=Smaller|date=8 June 2016|website=London Theatre Guide|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> the latter of which she played a schoolteacher caring for her disabled mother. January 2007 saw French performing as the Duchesse de Crackentorp at the [[Royal Opera House]], [[Covent Garden]], London, in ''[[The Daughter of the Regiment]]'' (''[[La fille du régiment]]'') by [[Gaetano Donizetti]] starring [[Natalie Dessay]] and [[Juan Diego Flórez]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6194487.stm |title=Dawn French to make opera debut |work=BBC News |date=19 December 2006 |accessdate= 23 May 2007}}</ref> French returned to Covent Garden and ''La Fille du règiment'' in the 2010 revival.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hall|first=George|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/may/20/la-fille-du-regiment-review|title=La Fille du Régiment {{!}} Opera review|date=20 May 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
*''[[Let Them Eat Cake (TV series)|Let Them Eat Cake]]'' TV show (1999)
 
*''[[Ted and Alice]]'' TV show (2002)
In December 2022, French began appearing in ''[[Jack and the Beanstalk]]'' at the [[London Palladium]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/dec/15/jack-and-the-beanstalk-review-london-palladium-dawn-french-julian-clary-alexandra-burke|title=Jack and the Beanstalk review – no expense spared for giant all-star entertainment|date=15 December 2022|website=The Guardian|accessdate=5 January 2023}}</ref>
*''[[Wild West (TV series)|Wild West]]'' (2002-2004)
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' (2004)
===Stand-up comedy===
*''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]'' TV series (1994-2007)
In 2014, French toured an autobiographical one woman show ''30 Million Minutes'' in the UK and Oceania.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iview.abc.net.au/show/dawn-french-live-30-million-minutes|title=Dawn French Live: 30 Million Minutes|website=ABC iview|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> The title is based on the number of minutes she had been alive at the time of producing the show.<ref>[http://jamtecstoke.co.uk/apps/age-ulator.html "Age-ulator app"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318070032/http://jamtecstoke.co.uk/apps/age-ulator.html |date=18 March 2015 }} Retrieved on iPhone 6plus 22 October 2014</ref>
*''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]'' (2005)
 
*''[[Marple (TV series)|Marple]]'': ''[[Sleeping Murder]]'' TV series (2005)
In 2022, she toured the UK with a further show titled ''Dawn French is a Huge Twat''. In late 2022 it was announced that she would continue touring the UK with the same show in Autumn 2023, with further shows taking place in Australia in 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2022/12/01/52187/dawn_french_announces_a_second_leg_of_her_uk_tour|title=Dawn French announces a second leg of her UK tour : News 2022 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide|first=Steve|last=Bennett|website=chortle.co.uk|accessdate=4 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grampianonline.co.uk/news/aberdeen-set-to-welcome-dawn-french-295400/|title=Dawn French brings 2023 tour to Aberdeen's Music Hall|last=Brown|first=Kirsty |date=2 December 2022|accessdate=4 December 2022}}</ref>
*''[[Jam and Jerusalem]]'' TV series (2006)
 
*''[[Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy]]'' 3-part TV series (2006)
===Advertising===
*''[[Little Britain|Little Britain Abroad]]'' TV series (2006)
French was chosen as the face of [[Terry's Chocolate Orange]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguide/columnists/story/0,14669,1644465,00.html |title=The hard sell |work=The Guardian |accessdate= 31 August 2007}}</ref> from 1997 until August 2007.<ref>{{cite web|first=Daniel |last=Kilkelly |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a74575/dawn-french-dropped-from-chocolate-ads.html |title=Dawn French dropped from chocolate ads |work=Digital Spy |date=30 August 2007 |accessdate= 6 September 2007}}</ref> She has also been in advertisements for the [[Churchill Insurance Company]].
*''[[Coraline (film)|Coraline]]'' (filming) (2007)
 
*''[[High Table (TV series)|High Table]]'' TV series (2007)
In 2019, French provided her voice for numerous Station idents for [[Greatest Hits Radio]]. This was produced in partnership with Bespoke Music.
*''[[The Meaning of Life (TV series)|The Meaning of Life]]'' TV show (2007)
 
In 2021, French was chosen to play the voice of a fairy lady for the Christmas food advertisements for leading retailer [[Marks and Spencers]] alongside [[Tom Holland]] voicing the company's mascot [[Percy Pig]] (who came to life for the first time in 29 years). In the main advert French as the fairy drops her magic wand onto a box covered in Percy pig wrappings, the lid opens and Percy pops out of the box. Throughout the rest of the advertisement she shows Percy all of the items which the retailer was selling for Christmas food.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/ms-gears-remarkable-christmas-retailer-launches-its-food-and-clothing|title=M&S GEARS UP FOR A REMARKABLE CHRISTMAS AS THE RETAILER LAUNCHES ITS FOOD AND CLOTHING CAMPAIGNS FOR 2021|website=M&S|date=3 November 2021 |access-date=5 November 2022}}</ref>
 
She later reprised the role for the 2022 [[M&S]] Christmas advert, playing alongside [[Jennifer Saunders]] voicing a sidekick called 'Duckie'. The pair, in the main advert, go on a journey to fill Duckie with 'some festive cheer' while showing off the M&S Food Christmas range for 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/ms-christmas-food-ad-has-landedand-stars-legendary-duo-french-saunders|title=M&S Christmas Food Ad Has Landed…And Stars Legendary Duo French & Saunders|website=M&S|date=2 November 2022 |access-date=5 November 2022}}</ref>
 
===Writing===
French has also written a best-selling [[Epistolary novel|epistolary]]<ref name="moves">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2241752.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203113515/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2241752.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 December 2008 |title=Dawn French moves to Cornwall to die |work=The Times|___location=UK |accessdate= 6 December 2007}}</ref> autobiography, which she has titled ''Dear Fatty''. French was paid a [[pound sterling|£]]1.5&nbsp;million advance for the book, which was released in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/dawn-frenchs-pound15m-memoirs-8h0kdzfbztp |title=Dawn French's £1.5m memoirs |work=The Times |___location=UK |accessdate=4 April 2007}}</ref> On an appearance on ''[[The Paul O'Grady Show]]'' on 6 October 2008, French said that "Fatty" is her nickname for Jennifer Saunders, as a joke about her own size. French said that she became great friends with Saunders well before they started working together, which was "over 30 years ago". The book consists of letters to the different people who have been in her life. In 2017, ''Me. You. A Diary'', French's second non-fiction book, was released.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305370/me-you-a-diary/ |title=Me. You. A Diary by Dawn French |website=penguin.co.uk |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903141228/https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305370/me-you-a-diary/ |archive-date=3 September 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> She has also written four novels – ''A Tiny Bit Marvellous'' (2010),<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/176789/a-tiny-bit-marvellous/9780141046341.html |title=A Tiny Bit Marvellous|last=French|first=Dawn |via=penguin.co.uk |date=23 June 2011 |access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> ''Oh Dear Silvia'' (2012),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/176790/oh-dear-silvia/9781405933674.html|title=Oh Dear Silvia|last=French|first=Dawn|website=penguin.co.uk|access-date=12 April 2020|archive-date=12 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412135333/https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/176790/oh-dear-silvia/9781405933674.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''According to Yes'' (2015)<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/185906/according-to-yes/9781405921558.html |title=According to Yes |last=French|first=Dawn |via=penguin.co.uk |date=2 December 2019 |access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref> and ''Because of You'' (2020). ''Because of You'' was longlisted for the 2021 [[Women's Prize for Fiction]]. Her third non-fiction book, ''The Twat Files'', tied in to her second stand-up show ''Dawn French is a Huge Twat'', was published in October 2023.
 
===Music videos===
In 1986, she appeared in [[Kate Bush]]'s music video "[[Experiment IV]]" alongside [[Hugh Laurie]], [[Richard Vernon]] and [[Peter Vaughan]].
 
French has appeared in the videos for [[Alison Moyet]]'s songs "[[Love Letters (song)|Love Letters]]" (which also featured Saunders) in 1987 and "[[Whispering Your Name]]" in 1994.
 
She also appeared in two [[Comic Relief]] music videos. In 1989 she joined [[Jennifer Saunders]] and [[Kathy Burke]] to form [[Lananeeneenoonoo]] and, along with [[Bananarama]], they created a [[charity single]] to raise money for Comic Relief. It was a [[cover version]] of [[The Beatles]] song "[[Help! (song)|Help!]]", and was released on the [[London Records]] label, entering the [[UK Singles Chart]] on 25 February 1989 and reaching a high of No. 3. It remained in the chart for nine weeks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.simplyeighties.com/bananarama-help.php |title=Bananarama and Lananeeneenoonoo – Help |website=simplyeighties.com |access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>
 
French, Saunders and Burke returned for Comic Relief in 1997 as "The Sugar Lumps," along with Llewella Gideon and [[Lulu (singer)|Lulu]], to parody [[The Spice Girls]], with whom they performed a version of "[[Who Do You Think You Are (Spice Girls song)#Music video|Who Do You Think You Are]]?".<ref>{{cite book |author=((Sinclair, David (1952–) )) |title=Wannabe : how the Spice Girls reinvented pop fame |date=2004 |publisher=Omnibus |isbn=0-7119-8643-6 |___location=London |oclc=64883763}}</ref>
 
==Personal life==
French met comedian [[Lenny Henry]] on the [[alternative comedy]] circuit. The couple married on 20 October 1984 in [[Covent Garden]], London.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://exhibition.mixedmuseum.org.uk/museum/timeline/marriage-of-dawn-french-and-lenny-henry | title=Dawn French and Lenny Henry – Timeline – Mix-d: Museum }}</ref> They adopted a daughter, Billie.<ref name="connection">{{cite interview |interviewer1= Brian Viner |interviewer1-link=Brian Viner |title=Dawn French: The French connection |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/dawn-french-the-french-connection-9258177.html |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=31 March 2002}}</ref> French has stated that Billie has always known that she was adopted,<ref name="connection"/> but once took out an injunction when a biographer came close to revealing the identity of Billie's biological mother. When faced with a question about how she and Henry would feel if Billie wanted to find out about her birth mother, French commented, "Whatever she wants to do when she's 18, we'll support her. What I do worry about is anyone else making the decision for her."<ref name="connection"/>
 
During the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] campaign, French was cited as a supporter of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/feb/14/political-parties-celebrity-race|___location=London, UK|work=The Guardian|title=Parties in pre-election battle to sign up stars|first=Vanessa|last=Thorpe|date=14 February 2010}}</ref> She supported [[Keir Starmer]] during the [[2020 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2020 Labour leadership election]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sawyer |first1=Miranda |title=Dawn French: 'I feel genuine grief about what is going on in the arts' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/oct/25/dawn-french-i-feel-genuine-grief-about-what-is-going-on-in-the-arts |access-date=30 January 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=25 October 2020}}</ref>
 
On 6 April 2010, French and Henry announced they were separating after 25 years of marriage. It was reported that the separation was amicable. They had decided to separate in October the previous year but left announcing it until some months later, as they were still in discussion over the separation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8606120.stm|title=Lenny Henry and Dawn French split|date=6 April 2010|publisher=BBC|access-date=6 April 2010}}</ref> Their divorce was finalised later that year.<ref name="2nd marriage">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22245439|title=Comedian Dawn French marries for second time|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=22 April 2013|access-date=22 April 2013}}</ref>
 
French began dating charity executive Mark Bignell in 2011. On 22 April 2013, it was reported that they had just married.<ref name="2nd marriage"/> The couple resided in [[Fowey]], Cornwall.
 
In September 2014, French was named as the new [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] of [[Falmouth University]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-29314099 |title=Dawn French named as Falmouth University chancellor |work= BBC News – Cornwall |date=23 September 2014}}</ref>
 
In May 2021 it was announced that French had sold her Fowey property, having moved to an 1868 [[Gothic Revival]] property in [[Calstock]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/dawn-french-sells-fowey-mansion-5400953.amp|title = Dawn French sells her Fowey mansion but is staying in Cornwall|date = 11 May 2021}}</ref>
In June 2025, French was heavily criticised for a video she posted on [[Instagram]] about the [[Gaza war|war in Gaza]]. Following a backlash, she later removed the video, saying she apologised unreservedly for it. Critics accused her of appearing to mock the [[October 7 attacks|7 October 2023 attack]] that triggered the war. She acknowledged on Instagram that the video appeared one-sided and said she never meant to mock, dismiss or diminish the horror of that day. In the 40-second video, she had shared her views on the ongoing war.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgmjdpme470o|title=Dawn French sorry for 'one-sided' Gaza war video|date=7 June 2025|website=BBC News|accessdate=10 June 2025}}</ref>
 
French is a supporter of [[Plymouth Argyle]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dawn-french-talks-plymouth-argyle-4616002 |title= Dawn French talks Plymouth Argyle with football legend Arsene Wenger |work=Plymouth Herald|date=17 October 2020 |accessdate=29 April 2021 }}</ref>
 
French is a supporter of the [[Orchid Project]], a London-based charity, founded by Julia Lalla-Maharajh in 2010, with a vision to free the world from female genital cutting, a practice which has affected more than 200 million women and girls around the world. It works with people and grassroots organisations in those countries where the practice is prevalent, such as Kenya, Senegal and India, to try to change attitudes and practices.
 
==Awards and recognition==
French and Saunders won the honorary [[Golden Rose of Montreux]] award in 2002 and in 2003, she was listed in ''[[The Observer]]'' as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. In a 2006 poll consisting of 4,000 people, French was named as the most admired female celebrity amongst women in Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a31208/david-beckham-dawn-french-named-top-idols.html |title=David Beckham, Dawn French named top idols |work=Digital Spy |date=3 April 2006 |accessdate= 8 September 2007}}</ref>
 
In February 2013, she was assessed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by ''[[Woman's Hour]]'' on [[BBC Radio 4]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qlvb/features/power-list-100 |title=Woman's Hour Power list |work= BBC Radio 4}}</ref>
 
===BAFTA Awards===
*1989 – Nominated – [[BAFTA TV Award]] for Best Light Entertainment Performance in ''French and Saunders''
*1991 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance in ''French and Saunders''
*1998 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance in ''The Vicar of Dibley''
*2000 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance in ''The Vicar of Dibley''
*2001 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance in ''The Vicar of Dibley''
*2007 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance in ''The Vicar of Dibley''
*2009 – '''Won''' – [[BAFTA]] Fellowship – awarded with [[Jennifer Saunders]]<ref>[http://www.bafta.org/awards/television/french-saunders,762,BA.html British Academy of Film and Television Arts Fellowship], presented on Sunday 26 April 2009, bafta.org. Retrieved 25 June 2014. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424200106/http://www.bafta.org/awards/television/french-saunders,762,BA.html |date=24 April 2009 }}</ref>
*2011 – Nominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance in ''Roger and Val Have Just Got In''
 
===British Comedy Awards===
*1997 – '''Won''' – [[British Comedy Award]] for Best TV Comedy Actress in ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]''
*1998 – Nominated – British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress in ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]''
*2011 – Nominated – British Comedy Awards for Best TV Comedy Actress in ''[[Psychoville]]''
 
===National Television Awards===
*1998 – Nominated – [[National Television Award]] for Most Popular Comedy Performer in ''The Vicar of Dibley''
*2000 – Nominated – National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Performer in ''The Vicar of Dibley''
*2002 – Nominated – National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Performance in ''Ted and Alice''
*2003 – Nominated – National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Performance in ''Wild West''
 
===Other===
*1991 – '''Won''' – Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for TV- Light Entertainment in ''French and Saunders''
*2001 – Along with [[Jennifer Saunders]], declined an [[OBE]]
*2002 – '''Won''' – [[Rose d'Or|Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award]] shared with Jennifer Saunders
*2009 – Nominated – [[Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production]] for ''[[Coraline (film)|Coraline]]''
*2025 – Commemorated – Series of British [[postage stamps]] issued by [[Royal Mail]], depicting iconic moments and characters from the sitcom ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]''; French appeared on six of the eight stamps''<ref>{{cite web|title=New Stamps of the UK, 2025, part 1 |url=https://findyourstampsvalue.com/news/new-stamps-of-the-uk-2025-part-1 |website=findyourstampsvalue.com |date=15 January 2025 |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>
 
==Acting credits==
===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class=unsortable | Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1982
| ''[[The Comic Strip]]''
| Various roles
|
|-
| ''[[Five Go Mad in Dorset]]''
| George
|
|-
| 1982–1984
| ''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]''
| Insane Christian Woman/Mrs Easter Bunny/She-Devil
|
|-
| 1983
| ''Five Go Mad on Mescaline''
| George
|
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Happy Families (1985 TV series)|Happy Families]]''
| Cook
|
|-
| 1985–1986
| ''[[Girls on Top (British TV series)|Girls on Top]]''
| Amanda Ripley
|
|-
|1987
|''[[The StoryTeller (TV series)|The Storyteller]]''
| Bad sister
| Episode: "Sapsorrow"
|-
| 1987–2007
| ''[[French and Saunders]]''
| Various roles
|
|-
| 1991–1999
| ''[[Murder Most Horrid]]''
| Various Roles
| [[Murder Most Horrid#Episodes and Dawn French's characters|Anthology]]
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]''
| Kathy (Interviewer)
| Series 1, episode 5 – "Magazine"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1993
| ''[[Screen One]]''
| Elaine Dobbs
| Episode: "Tender Loving Care"
|-
| ''[[The Legends of Treasure Island]]''
| Jim Hawkins
| Voice; series 1
|-
| 1994
| ''[[The Unpleasant World of Penn & Teller]]''
| Herself
|
|-
| 1994–2020
| ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]''
| Geraldine Granger
| Leading role
|-
| 1997
| ''Sex & Chocolate''
| Bev Bodger
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1999
| ''[[Let Them Eat Cake (TV series)|Let Them Eat Cake]]''
| Lisette
|
|-
| ''[[David Copperfield (1999 film)|David Copperfield]]''
| Mrs Crupp
| TV film
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2000
| ''[[Watership Down (1999 TV series)|Watership Down]]''
| Buttercup
| Voice; episode 21–22 – "Winter on Watership Down"
|-
|''French and Saunders Live''
| Various roles
|
|-
| 2001
| ''The Wheels on the Bus''
| Narrator
|
|-
| 2002
| ''Ted and Alice''
| Alice Putkin
|
|-
| 2002–2004
| ''[[Wild West (TV series)|Wild West]]''
| Mary
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2006
| ''[[Agatha Christie's Marple|Agatha Christie's Marple: Sleeping Murder]]''
| Janet Erskine
|
|-
| ''[[Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy]]''
| Herself
|
|-
| ''[[Little Britain (TV series)|Little Britain Abroad]]''
| Shelly Pollard
|
|-
| 2006, 2008–2009
| ''[[Jam & Jerusalem]]''
| Rosie
| ''Clatterford'' in the US
|-
| rowspan=3|2007
| ''High Table''
|
|
|-
| ''The Meaning of Life''
|
|
|-
| ''[[Dawn French's Boys Who Do Comedy]]''
| Herself
|
|-
| 2008, 2011
| ''[[Lark Rise to Candleford (TV series)|Lark Rise to Candleford]]''
| Caroline Arless
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[The Paul O'Grady Show]]''
| Guest Host
|
|-
| 2009–2011
| ''[[Psychoville]]''
| Joy Aston
|
|-
| 2010–2012
| ''[[Roger & Val Have Just Got In]]''
| Val Stevenson
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Superstar (British TV series)|Superstar]]''
| Judge
|
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Heading Out]]''
| Frances
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2013–2014
| ''[[Australia's Got Talent]]''
| Judge
|
|-
| ''[[The Wrong Mans]]''
| Linda Bourne
|
|-
| 2016–2019
| ''[[Delicious (TV series)|Delicious]]''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36975143|title=Emilia Fox joins Dawn French's Delicious drama|date=4 August 2016|work=BBC News}}</ref>
| Gina
|
|-
| 2017
| ''300 Years of French and Saunders''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/09/19/french-saunders-reunite-bbc-christmas-special/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/09/19/french-saunders-reunite-bbc-christmas-special/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=French and Saunders to reunite for BBC Christmas special|date=19 September 2017|work=The Daily Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
| Various
| [[BBC One]] Christmas special
|-
| 2017–2018
| ''[[Little Big Shots (British TV series)|Little Big Shots]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/news/2204/dawn_french_itv_little_big_shots/|title=Dawn French to host new ITV entertainment series|work=comedy.co.uk|date=25 August 2016}}</ref>
| Presenter
| [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] talent show
|-
|rowspan=3| 2020
|''[[The Trouble with Maggie Cole]]''
| Maggie Cole
| [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] series<ref name="telegraph040320">{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Anita |title=The Trouble with Maggie Cole, review: Dawn French's comedy drama is a curious cautionary tale against gossip – and booze |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2020/03/04/trouble-maggie-cole-review-dawn-frenchs-comedy-drama-curious/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2020/03/04/trouble-maggie-cole-review-dawn-frenchs-comedy-drama-curious/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=5 March 2020 |work=The Telegraph |date=4 March 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
|-
| ''Cornwall Air 999''
| Narrator
| Documentary series
|-
| ''[[Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse]]''
| [[Beatrix Potter]]
| TV film
|-
| rowspan=3|2021
| ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race UK]]''
| Guest judge
|[[BBC Three]];<br/>[[RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 2|Series 2]], episode 8: "Stoned on the Runway"
|-
| ''The Secret World of...''
| Narrator
|Documentary series<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/n2rj9g/the-secret-world-of-season-1/?episode=nztfcp|title=The Secret World of...|website=Radio Times|access-date=8 August 2021|archive-date=8 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808201540/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/n2rj9g/the-secret-world-of-season-1/?episode=nztfcp|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Walk the Line (TV series)|Walk The Line]]''
| Judge
| [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] musical game show<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/stellar-panel-stars-confirmed-debut-series-walk-line|title=Stellar panel of stars confirmed for debut series of Walk The Line|website=itv.com/presscentre|access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 2022
|''Red Riding Hood: After Ever After''
| Twit
| Voice<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/dec/23/tv-tonight-a-favourite-fairytale-with-a-delicious-twist|title=TV tonight: a favourite fairytale with a delicious twist|newspaper=The Guardian|date=23 December 2022 |access-date=8 January 2023|last1=Richardson |first1=Hollie |last2=Virtue |first2=Graeme |last3=Harrison |first3=Phil |last4=Seale |first4=Jack |last5=Wardell |first5=Simon }}</ref>
|-
| 2023
| ''imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter''
| Herself
| Documentary<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2023/52/imagine-french-and-saunders|title=imagine… French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter|website=bbc.co.uk/mediacentre|access-date=18 December 2023}}</ref>
|-
|2025
|''Beddybyes''
| Gramma Leeba
| [[CBeebies]]
|-
| TBA
| ''[[Can You Keep a Secret? (TV series)| Can You Keep a Secret?]]''
| Debbie Fenton
| Filming<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/craig-roberts-dawn-french-bbc-harry-west-country-b1215645.html|website=Evening Standard|accessdate=10 March 2025|title= New BBC sitcom starring Dawn French begins filming in the West Country|first=Hannah|last=Roberts|date=10 March 2025 }}</ref>
|}
 
 
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class=unsortable | Notes
|-
| 1985
|''[[The Supergrass]]''
|Andrea
|
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Eat the Rich (film)|Eat the Rich]]''
| Debbie Draws
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996 film)|The Adventures of Pinocchio]]''
|The Baker's Wife
|
|-
| 1999
| ''Milk''
| Virginia
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Maybe Baby (film)|Maybe Baby]]''
| Charlene
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''
| The Fat Lady
|
|-
|2005
| ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]''
| Mrs Beaver
| Voice
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Love and Other Disasters]]''
| Therapist
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Coraline (film)|Coraline]]''
| Miss Miriam Forcible
| Voice
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Animals United]]''
| Angie
| Voice
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie]]''
| Kathy (Interviewer)
| Also executive producer
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Death on the Nile (2022 film)|Death on the Nile]]''
| Mrs Bowers
|
|-
| 2023
| ''[[The Magician's Elephant (film)|The Magician's Elephant]]''
| Sister Marie
| Voice
|}
 
===Theatre and opera===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Location
|-
| 1993–1994
| ''Me and Mamie O'Rourke''
| Strand Theatre, London
|-
|
| ''When I was a Girl I used to Scream and Shout''
| Whitehall Theatre, London
|-
|
| ''All Soul's Night''
| Lyric Theatre, London
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Swan Lake]]''
|
|-
| rowspan=2|1997
| ''Then Again''
|
|-
| ''[[Side by Side by Sondheim|Side By Side]]''
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''
|
|-
| 2003
| ''My Brilliant Divorce''
| Apollo Theatre, London
|-
| 2005
| ''Smaller''
| Lyric Theatre, London
|-
| 2007
| ''[[La fille du régiment]]''
| Royal Opera House, London
|-
| 2008–2009
| ''Still Alive''
|
|-
| 2014
| ''Thirty Million Minutes''
|
|-
| 2018–2019
| Snow White at the Palladium
| London Palladium
|-
| 2022–2023
| Jack and the Beanstalk
| London Palladium
|}
 
===Video games===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Voice role
! Notes
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Sackboy: A Big Adventure]]''
| Scarlet
|
|}
 
==Bibliography==
; Fiction
*''Beneath the Cassock: Vicar of Dibley'' by Joy Carroll
*''A Tiny Bit Marvellous'' (Penguin, 2010)
*''Cruising'' by [[Beryl Cook]] (with a foreword by Dawn French)
*''Oh Dear Silvia'' (Penguin, 2012)
*''A Feast of French and Saunders'' by Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French
*''According to Yes'' (Penguin, 2015)
*''Dawn French: The Biography'' by Alison Bowyer
*''Because of You'' (Michael Joseph, 2020)
*''Frigid Women'' by Sue Riches, Victoria Riches and Dawn French
 
*''Peter Pan'' by [[J.M. Barrie]] (audio [[compact cassette|cassette]] version; part-read by Dawn French)
;Autobiography
*''Dawn French: Level 1'' by Gwen Berwick and Sydney Thorne
*''Dear Fatty'' (Arrow, 2007)
*''The Vicar of Dibley''- complete series scripts, by [[Richard Curtis]] and [[Paul Mayhew-Archer]]
*''Me. You. A Diary'' (Penguin, 2017)
*''The Twat Files'' (Penguin, 2023)
 
; Comedy
*''Girls on Top'' (with [[Jennifer Saunders]] and [[Ruby Wax]]) (HarperCollins, 1986)
*''A Feast of French and Saunders'' (with Jennifer Saunders) (Mandarin, 1992)
 
; Other
*''Big Knits: Bold, Beautiful, Designer Knitwear'' (with Sylvie Soudan) (Ebury, 1990)
*''Great Big Knits: Over Twenty Designer Patterns'' (with Sylvie Soudan) (Trafalgar Square, 1993)
*''Frigid Women'' by Sue and Victoria Riches (with a foreword by Dawn French) (Eye Books Direct, 1996)
*''Cruising'' by [[Beryl Cook]] (with a foreword by Dawn French) (Victor Gollancz, 2000)
 
==References==
{{reflistReflist}}
 
==External links==
*{{imdbcommons namecategory|id=0294067|name=Dawn French}}
*{{nndbIMDb name|id=824/000103515 0294067|name=Dawn French}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080911030336/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/F/htmlF/frenchdawn/frenchdawn.htm Biography at the Museum of Broadcast Communications]
*[http://www.frenchandsaunders.com/ French and Saunders]
*{{British Comedy Guide|people|dawn_french}}
 
{{The Comic Strip}}
[[Category:1957 births|French, Dawn]]
{{BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award}}
[[Category:Alumni of the Central School of Speech and Drama|French, Dawn]]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:British adoptive parents|French, Dawn]]
{{unreferenced category|date=June 2024|cat1=British people of Irish descent}}
[[Category:British comedians|French, Dawn]]
[[Category:British film actors|French, Dawn]]
[[Category:British television actors|French, Dawn]]
[[Category:The Comic Strip|French, Dawn]]
[[Category:Living people|French, Dawn]]
[[Category:People connected with Plymouth|French, Dawn]]
[[Category:People from Anglesey|French, Dawn]]
[[Category:People from Shinfield|French, Dawn]]
 
[[de{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawn French]], Dawn}}
[[nlCategory:Dawn1957 Frenchbirths]]
[[noCategory:DawnLiving Frenchpeople]]
[[Category:20th-century British actresses]]
[[sv:Dawn French]]
[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century British actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century British comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century British memoirists]]
[[Category:21st-century British novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century British women writers]]
[[Category:Actors from Anglesey]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama]]
[[Category:Australia's Got Talent]]
[[Category:BAFTA fellows]]
[[Category:British film actresses]]
[[Category:British people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:British sketch comedians]]
[[Category:British stage actresses]]
[[Category:British television actresses]]
[[Category:British voice actresses]]
[[Category:British women comedians]]
[[Category:British women memoirists]]
[[Category:British women non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:British women novelists]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) people]]
[[Category:People associated with Falmouth University]]
[[Category:People educated at Caistor Grammar School]]
[[Category:People from Holyhead]]
[[Category:People from Shinfield]]
[[Category:Spence School alumni]]
[[Category:The Comic Strip members]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_French"